JASON SETNYK
Cornwall’s outdoor rink season is underway, thanks to the dedicated efforts of community volunteers. While the City of Cornwall provides essential equipment and support, the real work happens on the ground-and in the cold-by volunteers who flood, clear, and maintain the rinks day and night.
“We’ve been working on it since before Christmas,” said Roger Desjardins, Vice President of the Cornwall Optimist Club and Chair of the Optimist Rink at Optimist Park. “Unfortunately, with the meltdown around Christmas, we lost what we had built, so we had to start all over again.” With temperatures finally cooperating, Desjardins said the large rink is now skateable, but he urges visitors to be respectful while the adjacent hockey rink is still under construction. “Try to keep hockey on half the rink and respect the skaters. We do this for the kids to have fun,” he explained. Creating a usable ice surface is no easy feat. “We only have about four volunteers working on it at the Optimist site,” said Desjardins. “People can help by shovelling snow to the sides, not the centre, because that just makes more work for us. And we often have to water the rink twice a day when it’s cold. It’s not always fun, but that’s when it has to be done.” The City supports rinks at Bell Centennial, Grant, King George, Mattice, Menard, and Optimist Parks, all run by volunteers. Optimist and King George Parks also offer lighting from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and washrooms at Optimist are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., weather permitting.
See “Absolutely essential,” Page 9.
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