After more than a decade of inactivity, Canton’s outdoor rink is ready for skaters.
Thanks to a dedicated crew of volunteers who have spent the better part of three weeks shoveling, flooding, chipping, and flooding again the surface of the newly constructed rink, the team has announced the ice is available for the public.
Several volunteers deserve recognition for bringing this opportunity to fruition. Tim Abplanalp leads the way.
Tim’s enduring focus on this project has seen the rink transform from a dilapidated hazard to its former glory. Through years of fundraising, working closely with the village, and solving issue after issue, Tim prepared the area to be flooded for fun once again. And when it came time to flood, Tim was also there, coordinating volunteers, sourcing equipment, and running the snowblower.
By his side throughout the flooding process was Reid Doyle, a newcomer to the outdoor rink efforts. Reid learned on the job, spending his free time at all hours of the day and night helping to troubleshoot all the issues that our fickle weather caused for the project.
There to teach him was longtime outdoor rink supervisor and champion, Ralphie Newvine. Ralphie and his sidekick, Bob Christy, have been on site running quality assurance for the project and mentoring the new cohort of rink experts. Their help has honed the efforts of the others, and made it possible for the rink to be operational here in mid-January.
Without support from the Recreation Department, the project could not have moved forward. Recreation Director Meghan Richardson and her associate, Ryan Hughes, offered expertise, access to equipment and utilities, and other help throughout the completion of this work.
Scores of other volunteers have lent a hand along the way. Between the efforts of the students who showed up on snow days, dads who stopped by after work, and other community members, the full scope of the effort would be impossible to articulate. For now, we will just say, thank you to everyone who spent time putting their time and care into this project.
Now, go skate!
