Family creates backyard ice rink in Courtenay, B.C.
It was a project that was on their wish list for several years, but a Courtenay, B.C. couple has finally been able to create their own backyard skating rink.
"This year seemed to be the one. We had a thought over morning coffee – three, four weeks ago – and we didn’t know about the cold spell at the time," said Duane Jackson who, along with his wife, Lydia, created a 48' x 56' rink in their North Courtenay yard.
The base of the rink is a giant tarp that’s covered with water and lined with wood chips and bark mulch.
"We just laid out the tarp, folded it up about three feet on either end, laid out some chips and used a transit to get a level plain," he said. "(Then we) just pulled the tarps back over, stapled it down and let the rain fill her up and a little bit of garden hose once it stated to crust over."
The skating rink was completed on Boxing Day: (Jackson family)
Duane concedes it is his wife who was the main designer and maintenance person.
"I’m from Ontario and I remember vaguely when I was a kid, (my father) doing something like that in our backyard and so I admit I looked up a couple of YouTube (and) Google things to get it to glass," Lydia said.
She estimates it probably took her around 15 hours to finish the project.
"On Boxing Day I was out here every two hours. I’d glaze the rink and then I’d go back inside, read my book and set a timer, come back out, glaze the rink," she said. "But the day after Boxing Day it was perfect to skate on, it was absolute glass."
The Jackson family completed their backyard skating rink on Boxing Day: (CTV News)
Lydia also says she had a bit of luck.
"It really is a fluke of nature too, it was that beautiful crisp, clear, cold, cold Boxing Day that allowed for really perfect conditions," she said.
The family has been making steady use of the rink along with friends and hope the cold weather returns next year so they can recreate the rink and add a barrier to keep pucks from travelling outside the surface.
The skating rink was completed on Boxing Day: (Jackson family)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.