White Sails Above Ice: The Secret to Year-Round Fun in Providence

PROVIDENCE – Standing tall over the Providence Rink For all seasons is an assortment of white sails in different forms, elevated using three-quarters of a mile of steel cables.

The new shade structure is part of a $4.2 million makeover, with the headliner being a brand new rink cooling system and new concrete pad that took a month to cure.

The new artistic shade structure will allow the city to extend the next ice skating season by a few weeks, protecting the ice from the warmth of the sun.

It provides shade over the rink for daytime use during summer temperatures.

Previously, the rink became excessively warm, making it unsafe for usage during the sweltering summer months, as stated by Brant Gawrys, who serves as the director of athletic and event facilities for the Providence Parks Department.

The new shade array is made up of numerous differently shaped white "ultra strong" pieces of fabric, held tight. The footprint of the rink is 10,000 square feet, and the array will shade 3,500 square feet, said designer Mar Ricketts , who established the Portland, Oregon-based company GuildWorks .

Once you see a 10-degree increase," Ricketts explained, "that shadow starts shifting throughout the day, which cools down the concrete, thus providing greater comfort.

Roller discos will have the opportunity to extend their operating hours into earlier times of the day as the location will become considerably cooler.

A number of child-oriented programs can now utilize the rink during daylight hours, as they were formerly restricted to late evenings because of worries about excessive heat.

Mayor Brett Smiley mentioned that he has been keeping an eye on the rink and the shade array from his office at City Hall.

Volleyball, pickleball, dodgeball inside the arena

The shaded area indicates it will be slightly less hot during certain major summer sporting events held at the arena.

The Super Fun Activities Club will be utilizing the rink for its purposes dodgeball games on Mondays and Volleyball sessions happen on Mondays and Tuesdays . Pickleball assumes control of the rink every Wednesday, according to founder Jeremy Dubois.

Dubois stated, "We keep this entire area packed with hundreds of individuals for hours without pause. It’s incredibly positive and uplifting. Everything feels welcoming, enjoyable, and filled with great energy here. With the music playing constantly, the ambiance is simply fantastic."

Dubois came down for the reveals of the new array with a tape measure in hand to see what they can do with the space now that it's changed slightly. The club is trying to see if they can hang netting from the array's poles and measuring to see how to fit all the nets.

A blank canvas for illumination

Town authorities selected white canvas since their scheme involves installing an elaborate lighting system, which will be funded by a $150,000 budget. Rhode Island Commerce granted, this will utilize colored lighting to highlight each array and also brighten up the entire rink during nighttime.

"Can you picture how amazing it would look all aglow and twinkling during roller disco night?" Gawrys asked.

The lighting setup will similarly be employed during concerts and various events.

Gawrys mentioned, “When activated, various projections appear and the lighting changes dynamically. Combined with the breeze and shifting shadows, this setup becomes truly stunning. It’s breathtaking indeed. Now picture how mesmerizing it would look when reflected off the ice under winter moonlight. The result will undoubtedly be spectacular.”

Withstanding hurricanes

The structure can endure gusts up to 125 miles per hour as well as 30 pounds of snow and ice accumulation.

"This is not what's taking damage," Ricketts said. "You'll see the trees, other things, be damaged first. This should sustain through all of that."

A Category 3 hurricane, classified as "major," has continuous wind velocities ranging from 111 to 129 miles per hour , according to the National Hurricane Center.

The material is expected to endure for 20 to 30 years. Once it eventually needs replacement, Rickett's company possesses the digital files necessary for cutting new sails. As to whether he can open those files in 20 to 30 years is , however, a different problem.

Roller derby coming up to play

The Providence Roller Derby is also coming back to the rink. The extended closure during the rink renovation was hard on the group, although not quite as hard as the pandemic, where they lost most of their players before building back the team.

"We had to find other rinks to play at, because this is our home rink, basically," Derby Vice President Breanna Lamont said.

Struggling to locate venues capable of accommodating the audiences attending the matches was an issue, with attendance ranging from 100 to 300 individuals.

The upcoming match for the Providence Roller Derby at the new venue is scheduled for October 4th.

She mentioned that skating on the new rink with its fresh concrete feels much better.

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The article initially appeared in The Providence Journal. What are those white sails above Providence's ice rink? They hold the secret to staying active all year long.