ICE SKATING

Evening Star, Issue 20572, 26 August 1930, Page 2

ICE SKATING

RINKS IN OTHER COUNTRIES DUNEDIN ARCHITECT INTERESTED Judging by public opinion and, what is more important, by public example, this' country is on the threshold ot mi era of roller skating, before which allother indoor sports aro paling into insignificance in those districts where rinks have been built. Sport to-d.dy assumes an importance in the lives of the public to which it never aspired in pre-war days, and as a popular and healthy exercise skatnig has few competitors. On the Continent, in 1 America, and in England ice skating, which is even more exhilarating and spectacular than roller skating, makes an even stronger appeal, and it is noticeable that the interest in dancing lias waned considerably. In view of-the popularity achieved by ice skating in other countries, it is surprising that the sport has nob .yet been introduced- into the main -centres- of New : Zealand. No doubt the possibilities of such a venture have been discussed, and “ Cornice ” knows of one Dunedin architect who has made a close study of the many details and technicalities associated with such a.'scheme. In considering ice rinks certain distinctions must bo borne in mind. There have been Constructed from time to time, chiefly abroad, ico rinks which were designed to meet specific requirements.-. : ■ Dealing with the ’ American rinks 'first, these were at their birth intended to supply a- skating area for general skating.- Then from., Canada, where, with ideal outdoor conditions, every youngster skates as naturally as he or she walks, came the game of ice hockey. This game very quickly appealed to the American'public, and a number of far-sighted promoters saw the enormous possibilities of .this sport. In ,1909 Mr Geofge Funk, architect, of Boston, was commissioned to design the oldTlosten area, with a seating capacity of 9,800 and with a floor intended to be used for general skating. . Ono problem facing the promoters was that in the very hot American summer season the hall could not be nsed Vj This was because the network of re-" frigerating pipes underlying the ice was simply laid on the sub floor, and; no method could bo devised of satisfactorily covering this with any ordinary floor; Sectional wood floors and many other devices were-tried without success. Then the' pipes weib" completely., taken- up at the end- of the seating season and relaid at' the .beginning' of the following season. But the: wastage, by corrosion and damage and i the cost entailed rendered this prohibitive. This will be readily understood when it is explained that in the floor there w.ere some twelve miles of. pipingat 4in centres; In 1918 the rink was destroyed by firc/and the promoters set about rebuilding on a grand scale. During the period, from ,1-909 to 1918 ice hockey had made such strides and the public interest was so intense that rinks were required capable of accommodating thousands of spectators. Large revenues were definitely forthcoming from hockey matches, and it \vas necessary to design the rinks on, a stadium typo of plan; This was done at the,new Boston Arena, and on tlio floor .there various' experiments were made,- as the result ot' which it was finally decided to cover the floor piping with “ a granolithic composition. and metal aggregate, the whole being completely, .insulated by cork layers. This was' jfevy ..Successful,' as the floor was left as a clean concrete floor when not tiScd for skating, the pipes were protected against damage, whilst the perfect adhesion between the ico and granolithic meant that quite a thin sheet of ico was sufficient for all purposes. This was. obtained.’.in a very isliorb time, many, hours less than was meeessary with tlio open pipes. This 'aljowod very quick changes in the use ofi the arena to be made; for instance, o 4 four successive evenings the hall was .used for ice hockey, boxing contests, athletic track meeting, and public skating. To-day in America and Canada there are a largo number of.'rinks designed purely 'for ice hockey and such other spectacles as boxing, circuses, etc. Those are invariably designed as a sUn dium, seating as many as 90,000 people; led hockey teams are. handed Into three leiigues, each more, important.than the Football League in England, whilst the ayerago professional ice hockey , player isi paid, more than, the average baseball player in the States-. • ■ Coming to tho rinks in England, quite a different set of conditions is fopnd to exist. So long ago as tho twelfth .century skating on-tho frozen' stfoains and ’ hikes" of ./England was popular sport, and through the years juf inkers have flocked to the ico for tho Ml too brief periods it lias been pos-sible-to skate. on -such- ice as . Nature provides. The capricious ness of the English winters led to the earlier rinks being built, such as the Glacarium (at Southport), Niagara (At South London). Princes Club (in Knight sln-idge), and the Ico Palace '-(Manchester), tho latter of which is still enjoying a successful career. < The earlier rinks wore at several "disadvantages owing to expensive operating costs of machinery, whilst Princes was closed by the Government during the war and tho buildings converted to other uses. Thus we find that in Great Britain the chief interest of the public is to skate.- Ice hockey is. in its very infancy, there,, and-the public have had practically iio opportunity -of learning of its great drawing power,., As.-imore teams are formed and the-play becomes tiloro general it ', ist almost.* Certain to. gain, increasing, impetus. Hitherto promoters of ice rinks in England "have naturally been chary of spending the necessary extra capital required to build finks capable of seating a largo number aLpcoplc, hut ia tho opiniou-of informed experts it is purely a matter of time before the stadium typo of rink will bo built there,-with-the same certainty ,of all the seat?) being: completely filled as are ,tho ice. floors of the . skating rinks now in full swing. There ?oems to bo'.no.doubt that ico skating, will be., a. permanent form- -of 'amusement,' no matter what popularity- attends; ice hockey.' "In. .tLiVconi-jeetioin it is - interesting to note that ice 'ri'nks jiilS'O. been- in...edntin«o«s- -ope ratioh-lit towns so Jar aiicld as Manchester,

Edinburgh, and Sydney (Australia) _lor over twenty-five years, some time before the American rinks wore begunIn conclusion, architects or promoters' of largo public- buildings will do well to Idol; into the possibilities of ice skating. A large building designed Tor boxing .matches, exhibitions, etc., where large crowds are catered for, c-itn as a rule -.incorporate 'idi'ice’ .floor. •Where this is desired it would /mean additional heating ami air-conditioning plant, hut there are such great possibilites in this- movement that no ono can dismiss tho matter without mostcareful consideration' of its merits.'