Rink

Remembering Donnie MacMillan J im Rutherford, president and general manager of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes, had this to say on the passing of Donnie Mac: "It is a very sad day for our organiza- tion. A person that was a big part of the Hurricanes has passed on suddenly. Donnie will be missed by everyone whose life he touched, both personally and professionally." This is true for any of us who were lucky enough to have worked with or just hung out with Donnie MacMillan. Donnie was the superintendent of the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C. and he truly will be missed by not only the Hurricanes organi- zation, but the entire arena industry. Donnie had a cool mural painted on his motorcycle's front fender that read "Ice Man" and there was no one better to hold that title then Donnie, who was always working hard to make his ice the best it could be. From innovative things he made for his ice painting system to tinkering with his water treatment system, Donnie was always thinking. Donnie was also the type of guy to try things first to see if he could not only use the technology, but also help improve the operation of some technologies. He was first in the NHL with 96'-inch-wide con- ditioners, allowing him to cut the ice resurfacing time between periods to four- and-a-half minutes without rushing. He was first in the NHL to use a laser- leveling system on his Olympias, proving the technology can be used in any size building with great success. One thing Donnie pulled off that his changeover col- leagues may not have appreciated was the ability to go from basketball to hockey, or vice versa, in just an hour-and-a-half! Fortunately, Donnie was able to enjoy great success as an ice professional. On Donnie Mac's ice, the Hurricanes won a Stanley Cup and hosted a great NHL All- Star Game this past January. He took great pride in a comment he received this season from one of the greatest players in the league, Sidney Crosby. Crosby gave an unsolicited comment that the ice at the RBC Center was the best in the NHL! So whether you were fortunate enough to share a blue motorcycle with Donnie Mac and witness a "Carolina roll," or were able to appreciate the great ice he provided and innovations he brought to the industry, you know what a great loss his passing is to our industry. Donnie, you were the Consummate Ice Guy and truly the "Ice Man." You will be greatly missed! The Center of It All C overmaster Inc. is pleased to announce that Columbus Civic Center has purchased an additional Terracover Ice Conversion System for its newly-opened Columbus Ice Rink, adjacent to their main facility. After purchasing their first system six years ago, they were so pleased with the product and revenue this multipurpose ice sheet could provide that they immedi- ately looked to Covermaster to provide a second system. The Columbus Civic Center is a truly state-of-the-art multipurpose sports and entertainment facility that can convert for any special event, while also playing home to various sports teams, including the SPHL Columbus Cottonmouths and Auburn University hockey teams. The Terracover Ice System is durable, functional and easy to install, with ice conversions taking less than one hour to complete. For more information call Covermaster Inc. at 800-387-5808 or learn more at covermaster.com. Industry news ■ News & notes from around the rink industry. 8 R INK MAGAZ INE July/August 2011 STARrinks.com

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