Heorot built an ice rink just outside of their house

Attempting to build an ice rink must run in a Chi Heorot’s blood, even though as their history shows, this has usually been unsuccessful, and resulted in the main floor of the house collapsing 1985.

However, a few ambitious Heorots decided this was the year they actually were going to successfully build a rink.

“The idea was originally just a joke based off an old story in which some Heorot hockey players built an ice rink in our house’s first floor decades ago. After considering the thought more seriously, we bought the necessary materials and got to work. As the rink became more recognizable, we realized that our idea was coming to fruition,” Heorot President ’16 Adam Charin-Aker said.

’16 Sam Seder, one of the masterminds behind the construction of the rink, said this has been something he has wanted to do since freshman year, but with the help of Adam, they finally made that dream a reality this winter.

“As many people know it’s Heorot tradition to have an ice rink, so we decided to run it back,” Adam said.

The rink is built on Heorot’s back lawn, made out of a large tarp, several boards, and layers of frozen water. After the rink was finished, they then put up side boards and goals for hockey games.

“We began the building process by placing wooden boards to act as walls of the rectangular perimeter of the rink. We then put a 40 x 60 ft tarp over the area to hold the water in. After hours of running a hose from the house, the water level finally rose high enough to cover the entire area.

“A couple freezing nights later, and we had ourselves an ice rink. We then screwed in larger boards to keep pucks from taking out our car windshields, and now we’re in the process up putting up lights so we can skate at night,” Adam said.

Many Heorot guys have their own skates, and when it was colder, they spent plenty of time playing pick-up hockey on the rink. Sam said they also hope to use the rink for some ‘learn how to skate’ clinics from members of the hockey team.

Hockey senior Ryan Bullock said by giving lessons, they’re “helping the next generation of Chi Hockey.”

“A few of the guys seem to be using it quite a bit to practice their slapshots, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the varsity hockey team sees some walk-ons try out next season. We’re also waiting for ’16 goalie Charles Grant to put on his pads so we can give him some pointers in goal,” Adam added.

The proud designers of the rink are not too concerned about the warmer temperatures in Hanover this week, but they are working hard to ensure that it stays in good shape.

Sam said maintaining the rink is key. He goes out to flood the rink every night to keep it alive.

“One time, Adam and I sat out there until three in the morning, just watching the water freeze over,” Sam told us.

They also even designed a makeshift Zamboni out of PVC piping and old towels in which he flows hot water through to keep the ice smooth.

Sam added hopefully, if the temperature gets colder again, they hope to have a “skate with a date” winter formal.

“As they say in Field of Dreams, ‘if you build it, they will come,’ so we built it.”