Page 5 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 16

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If You Curl, Thank An Ice Technician!

By Erynn Henry days to complete! It all begins with which is then followed by another while walking up and down the ice

a dry cement floor. It is important to fine layering of clear ice. After the that “pebbles” it, leaving those tiny

teve Smith, fondly known as keep the arena free of humidity and paint dries and the added layer of bumps. It is a can that holds three
SBubba is the ice technician at condensation during the season when flooding freezes, Smith than cuts gallons of water with a hose attached

the Cornwall Curling Centre. He has the rink is not in use, says Smith. and paints the circles, finishing with to a copper head with tiny pinholes in

been respectfully efficient in the care The ice is built up by using fine, light another fine layer of flooding, again it. “Temperature is crucial for curling

and maintaining of the ice used for sprays, creating a layer at a time. waiting for that to dry and freeze rinks especially when pebbling the
curling in this city for 26 years and This is to prevent washing away before starting that same process on ice,” says Smith. “The water needs to
counting and in that time has seen an your previous flood, which would the lines and logos that are also to be

awful lot of curlers enjoy the surface then create slush. That is why Smith embedded into the ice. To top that freeze right away when it hits the ice.
he has created just for them. stresses the importance of fine sprays whole process off, Smith than adds That’s what creates those little bumps

Perhaps it doesn’t seem that way, and light flooding when starting out. another three floods to the rink to almost like alligator skin. It’s quite a

or maybe the thought never crossed He says it generally takes him about bring the ice back to a level surface. delicate art.”
your mind, but creating the ice five to six floods until it is level and He will than use what is called the Throughout the year, Smith will

found on a curling rink is a slow, the ice looks like a delicate sheet of Ice King, a big machine designed to fl ood the ice only three more times,
technical process and one that needs glass. scrape the ice to help create a smooth but does maintenance on it twice a
to be done with the utmost care and Following the layering, Smith even layer. day, scraping and pebbling to make
consideration. And yes there is lots will than hand scrape the ice to rid If you have ever been on a curling sure the ice is in pristine condition for
more to it than just letting a pool of the surface of any imperfections and rink and wondered how they get that the many curlers who come to use the
water freeze. impurities before the painting the bumpy surface, this is how they do it. rink throughout the season. Without
It is no easy task, and according to ice and the lines. The whole surface Following the scraping, Smith uses a his efforts, the game just wouldn’t be
Smith it takes anywhere from 12 – 14 itself gets seven coats of white paint, contraption that he carries with him the same.

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View at D-Tech
The scraper being used by Steve Smith is essential to ensuring that a
smooth, level surface is created on the curling rink. 7 South Branch Road
Photo by Erynn Henry.