Building a backyard rink is a Canadian tradition, but one Eastern Ontario man is taking it to new heights.
John Ryan created an ice rink in the second-storey loft of his barn, located on his property in Perth, Ont.
“If you know me, I’m a packrat — and the first floor’s full,” Ryan said.
Ryan says he first created the rink 16 years ago for his children.
“They needed somewhere to play,” he recalled.
Today, the rink is used by his grandchildren.
“My grandkids now live behind me and my son has got a baby on the way. So, we’ll be doing it till we can’t do it anymore.”
He says he got the idea to build an indoor rink in the loft of the barn out of “laziness,” after trying an outdoor rink first.
“Tired of packing the snow down and watering,” he said.
While the rink is indoors, it’s still very weather dependent, and Ryan says it’s particularly sensitive to warmer temperatures.
“You take the pucks and the nets off and let it puddle up; when she gets hard, she’s good to go again,” he said.
He says the rink is usually up and running by New Year’s Eve and runs until sometime in March, depending on the weather.
“It’s great for the kids,” says Ishia Ryan, Ryan’s daughter-in-law.
“They’re able to come and skate at nanna and poppa’s anytime they want. It helps them practice their skills for hockey. They’re all in hockey, so that makes it a good place for them to enjoy.”
