How Ross Rankin ( Past-President of the O.R.F.A) and Connor Edwards (Team Lead Operations) navigated due diligence, financial incentives, and a mid-season installation to transform their arena operations. In our recent "Operator-to-Operator" webinar, we sat down with Ross Rankin (Past President, ORA) and Connor Edwards (Team...
Whitecourt improved arena efficiency and comfort REALice was a core component of the major upgrades at JDA Place. The switch from hot water to REALice-treated cold water lowered energy use, reduced mechanical load and delivered harder, clearer ice. The arena’s broader retrofit improved the building envelope,...
Tim explained that when they first installed the system, they struggled with sticky ice and experimented with the brine settings to find the right balance. After some adjustment, they discovered that they could run their ice 4.5 degrees warmer than ever before. The change brought significant...
Peter Burnett, Director of Community Services for the Municipality of Trent Hills, Ontario, first discovered REALice several years ago. After years of research and consideration, the municipality installed its first REALice system at the Warkworth Arena three years ago. Blind Trial Rather than announcing the change, Burnett’s...
Last fall, The Olympic Center in Lake Placid, NY added a REALice system to treat the water for the Luge Track at the two-time Winter Olympic venue. Bryan Berghorn, the Director of Sliding Sports for the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) told us they'd never...
The WJ Henderson Recreation Centre in Amherstview, Ontario, put in REALice in 2024. The building is being renovated with a replacement swimming pool, expected to open in 2026, so it’s been a construction zone for the past year and a half. In the summer of 2025,...
When Billy Creber first heard about REALice, he wanted nothing to do with it. “We were told cold-water resurfacing could never give you the same ice,” Billy recalls. He even campaigned against buying the system. But once it was installed and the ice went in, everything changed. Seeing...
The City of St. Albert continues to lead the way in sustainable rink operations. Following successful results at Servus Credit Union Place, where three rinks have been operating with REALice for years, the City has now installed REALice systems at the Jarome Iginla Arena and...
Earlier this week, folks from the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre were in St. Albert, AB to present a plaque and take a tour of the twin pad indoor ice skating facility at the Jarome Iginla and Kinex Arena. They came, along with invited dignitaries,...
Great news for Alberta arena operators! The Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC) is still offering funding through the Climate and Energy Conservation (CEC) Program from the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC), through which Alberta municipalities can access up to 50% funding. Now is the perfect time to upgrade...