Ripsaw Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 From Manx Radio: A temporary ice skating rink has been earmarked for Villier's Square in Douglas over this year's festive period. The facility, which will be privately run, is due to be in place throughout December. I'll be taking advantage of it with Junior if it happens. I hope others will too even if they've never thought about trying it before. You can be sure that Tourism chiefs will be monitoring it's use and no matter how superior a permanent rink will be they won't consider one if they can justify a lack of interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcCann Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 Sounds like a nice idea. Obviously it won't actually happen though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith lard Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 great idea, they should put something similar to the german market type thing they have at manchester there as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mortal Wombat Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 ice rinks totally r00l there should definitely be one on the island. fake ice rinks suck though, no substitute for the real thing. i assume the temp one will be made of pastic and therefore pretty lame. there used to be a great olympic size ice rink in Richmond, great ice, really smooth, i had my first kiss there... ah. but they tore it down to replace it with... a carpark. joy. ...but it was okay because before they tore it down they promised to replace it with another ice rink... just a short way away across town - which they never bothered to do. cheers! a permanent ice rink, of a decent size, would be a godsend to the island. it would be so busy, and we could have our own ice hockey team... i'll leave you to think up a snappy name for them. Pucks away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ean Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 Finally a good use for the Villiers Square. Went past it today and it's an absolute state, weeds everywhere and just looks trashed. Shame really, hopefully things like this will make it more likely to be well kept in future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomTucker Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 i priced one up for the 2004/5 xmas period, came out at about £6k per week min 4 weeks. that meant it was erected for you and included the lorry on the boat. friend and i were going to do it as a enterprise (it was only pub talk really) after going to the one at smithfield in dublin, until we found out the cost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomTucker Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 found the quote! Synthetic 'Ice' Rink The supply and installation of a synthetic ‘ice’ rink package include the following: 9 December 2005 to 5 January 2006 * 1 x synthetic ‘ice’ floor 20m x 15m (300m²) machined from 18mm synthetic resin. * 70 linear metres barriers – all plastic – fastened to the skating surface o 204 pairs skates. o Skate racks for 204 pairs skates. o 96m² rubber matting o 6 x bench seats. o 1 x Cleaning machine. o 1 x Glide Spray Unit o 1 x Skate Grinder. Consumables: o 100 litres x Glide liquid – Glycol. o 50 litres x Detergent – Neutral. o 4 x Grinding wheel for grinder. o 2 x Diamond Dresser for grinder. Hire cost: £24,752 All quotations include: delivery, installation, crew accommodation & sustenance, dismantling and collection. We are unable to provide staffing, but do provide full instruction for your own personnel. An 'ice' rink would provide visitors to Douglas with the opportunity to chill out and get their skates on to enjoy the coolest attraction for 2005, but without the problems associated with wet ice. Optional 'Log Cabin' The supply of a sturdy, alpine style wooden structure (20' x 12') to act as the skate distribution and storage facility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted August 5, 2006 Share Posted August 5, 2006 Can it be anything other than a plastic one and will it be of any useful size in the Villiers Square? Been ice skating a few times, but was always put off by the stories from the old hands (or blades) about people falling over and having fingers sliced off by the more proficient skaters. Couldn't see the fun in that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mission Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 I'm guessing the rule of thumb (heh) is to tuck you arms in if you fall. I'm all for something new and different over here, bring it on I say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amadeus Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 Been ice skating a few times, but was always put off by the stories from the old hands (or blades) about people falling over and having fingers sliced off by the more proficient skaters. Couldn't see the fun in that! Take it from someone who spent most of his life in a town dominated by winter sports: I've never heard of any fingers being sliced off or anything like that - stories, that's all they are... The worst thing that can happen is that you land on your backside while taking your first steps on 'ice' - that might hurt your pride, but nothing else... I have to admit that I never tried skating on that synthetic stuff, though - proper ice only back home. I guess the plastic versions are pretty advanced by now, and it saves a lot of money, especially if the rink is constructed outdoors in a relatively moderate climate like the one the IOM enjoys - in Bavaria, we only had real ice rinks, but we also have -30C during winter, so it was kinda the obvious choice, I guess... That's the Ice Stadium back home - they've got 2 seperate areas - one indoors, one outdoors, with a tunnel between them - well ace in the winter.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lard Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 When they had the Circus On Ice at the Villa Marina a couple of times, less than 10 years ago, did they use real ice? They seemed to have some sort of mobile freezer wagaons parked outside. Anyway, I think an ice rink would be an excellent addition to the Island so: Summerland site. Nothing has been decided on what to do with this site but our Government will decide after the general election in November. So - when the hopeful candidates come knocking at your door you know what you can tell them YOU want included within the Summerland site development. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beckett Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 Finally a good use for the Villiers Square. Went past it today and it's an absolute state, weeds everywhere and just looks trashed. Shame really, hopefully things like this will make it more likely to be well kept in future. Couldn't agree more - the god-knows-how-much-it-cost water feature is turned off and dried up with a good selection of litter in it. Maybe it's time for a flash mob to tart the sad and sorry place up. Ice rink will be great, let's just hope it happens! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lard Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 Good idea Beckett! Someone suggested a few months back that a group from these forums get together and tidy the place up. I think most of us were quite keen and I dare say we all would have done a good job and then gone into the pub afterwards to do some real life trolling, gossiping and flaming of the members who didn't turn up. But as if by magic Douglas Corporation decided to clean the place up the following week. That's when it was suggested that someone from the Corpy reads these forums! Let's hope so, although I must say I could do with some real life trolling and flaming down the pub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxchatterbox Posted August 6, 2006 Share Posted August 6, 2006 Finally a good use for the Villiers Square. Went past it today and it's an absolute state, weeds everywhere and just looks trashed. Shame really, hopefully things like this will make it more likely to be well kept in future. hope the Britain in Bloom judges got to see Villiers Square...why doesn't the Corpn just compulsory purchase it do the place up and give the bill to the developer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripsaw Posted August 6, 2006 Author Share Posted August 6, 2006 ...why doesn't the Corpn just compulsory purchase it do the place up and give the bill to the developer... ...because if they bought it and did it up, they would own it and have to send themselves the bill? Why should rate payers money be spent purchasing land zoned for development in a prime location? If an area is an eyesore there should be the means in place to give a written warning to the owner 'to sort or have it sorted' with a bill following shortly thereafter. Maybe there already is, but it isn't enforced? Maybe the enforcers are scared of being accused of hipocracy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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