On Thin Ice
Project Summary
guaranteed ice requires urgent investment in our ice plant
Not long ago, ice skating enthusiasts of the Methow Valley had to wait for lakes and rivers to freeze in order to skate. Some winters, the season lasted just a few weeks. Everything changed in 2016 when the Winthrop Rink installed a refurbished ice refrigeration plant. Popularity soared and today the Rink offers 125 days of ice each winter, welcoming 15,000 skaters from across the Pacific Northwest—many of whom travel specifically to experience the Rink’s unique outdoor setting. However, relying on that aging ice plant requires costly and unpredictable repairs that threaten to disrupt the Rink’s vital programming.
Summary
“On thin ice” is a mission critical capital campaign to improve infrastructure and guarantee ice.
To guarantee ice, the Winthrop Rink has identified strategic investments critical for sustaining current operations, enhancing user and staff safety, and supporting future growth. “On Thin Ice” is a capital campaign to raise money to fund the infrastructure investments, including:
Ice Plant Replacement
Lighting Improvements
Audience & Player Safety
New Amenities
Project Details
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![On Thin Ice- Ice plant replacement]()
Ice plant replacement
Challenges:
The Winthrop Rink has been operating with a 30 year old ice plant. Breakdowns and costly repairs regularly threaten to disrupt Rink operations. The existing ice plant uses a refrigerant with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) rating of 1774, which far exceeds Washington’s 2023 maximum GWP standards.
Solutions:
Safely dispose of the existing ice plant. Install a new state-of-the-art ice plant with a low-GWP rating, housed in a new “HVAC Mechanical” building.
Benefits:
The new ammonia refrigerant system will be environmentally best-in-class (0 GWP rating) and last a minimum of 20 years. It’s capacity to cool ice down to 2 degrees (vs the existing plant’s 12 degree baseline) has the potential to extend the skating season by several weeks.
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![On Thin Ice- Lighting Improvements]()
Lighting Improvements
Challenges:
The current lighting system inconsistently illuminates the rink and cannot be uniformed dimmed. This poses skater safety problems and “leaks” light laterally into neighboring properties.
Solutions:
Install new louvres, hooded light heads and a unified dimming system.
Benefits:
Hooded lightheads focus the light more uniformly across ice surface to prevent “dark” and “hot” spots, while also blocking lateral light scatter. The dimming system will make it possible to uniformly dim or brighten lights in accordance with International Illuminating Engineering Society’s standards for ice arenas. The new lights are approved by Methow Valley Citizen’s Council and the Methow Dark Sky Coalition.
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![On Thin Ice- Audience & Player Safety]()
Audience & Player Safety
Challenges:
The aging player boxes are collapsing and do not adequately separate players from spectators. Gaps in Rink’s perimeter safety netting expose players, coaches, spectators, and bystanders to the dangers of flying sticks and pucks.
Solutions:
Replace player boxes with aluminum and polyurethane paneled system designed for outdoor use. Install wrap-around safety netting to block sticks and pucks from exiting the Rink.
Benefits:
Improved player boxes and audience viewing areas will make for a safer and more enjoyable experience at the Winthrop Rink.
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![On Thin Ice- New Amenities]()
New Amenities
Challenges:
Open-air player boxes, scorekeeper’s booth, and spectator areas expose players and audience to the elements.
Mobility-challenged spectators lack a viewing area.
Weather conditions cause building-side glass to frost
Solutions:
Build elevated viewing deck on building side, with ramp for wheelchair access.
Install overhead, infrared heaters in breezeway to warm spectators and mitigate frost from forming on glass.
Construct an elevated roof structure spanning the length of the Rink’s north end, providing cover to players and audience.
Budget
