Ice rink to kick off campaign against winter
Marieke van der Vaart
Issue date: 11/12/09 Section: News
Student Federation unanimously approved a $3,000 request for a college ice rink on Thursday.
Brought by representatives from the residence life programming and recreation services and student activities board, the request represents months of research and ingenuity on the part of senior Josh Trojniak, Director of Student Activities Rebekah Dell said.
This marks the first stage in his campaign against winter, she said.
"We think it will help students actually enjoy the winter rather than cower in their dorms," Trojniak said, laughing at Thursday's meeting.
The rink will be constructed of a tarp and plastic support boards, Trojniak said. It will stand in the quad outside Grewcock Student Union from January until March or whenever temperatures begin to rise.
The administration granted its approval on Friday, after concerns about the condition of the grass and rink maintenance were addressed, Dell said.
Initially, Student Activities Board hoped to have the rink ready for the Holiday Fest in December, but because the weather might be too unpredictable to guarantee a faster timeline, they decided to push the Holiday Fest back until Jan. 13.
The rink will cost somewhere between $6,000 and $7,000, she said, depending on which size SAB picks. The investment should be a long-term one, though. She said if properly maintained, the rink could last 10 years.
Partly for that reason, Student Fed allocated the funds out of their campus improvements fund instead of the discretionary funds budget. Typically the campus improvements fund sponsors flag poles, benches or senior gift ideas.
"This is a different type of improvement to campus," Dell said. "This seems to be a really solid option for us."
Trojniak said he and a team of volunteers will monitor and maintain the project. When he graduates, his successor will also inherit rink duty, Dell said.
The senior has done extensive research on everything from the topography of the quad to homemade Zambonis but says the day-to-day maintenance of the ice rink will involve simple problem solving.
"There is a need for students to support Josh," Dell said, noting that interested students should approach her or Trojniak to learn more.
Students will have to bring their own skates to campus, because of the cost and storage needs a campus supply would require, but Trojniak says students can enjoy rink activities like broom ball and human curling without them.
"It's fun to have skates, but you don't need them," he said.
Brought by representatives from the residence life programming and recreation services and student activities board, the request represents months of research and ingenuity on the part of senior Josh Trojniak, Director of Student Activities Rebekah Dell said.
This marks the first stage in his campaign against winter, she said.
"We think it will help students actually enjoy the winter rather than cower in their dorms," Trojniak said, laughing at Thursday's meeting.
The rink will be constructed of a tarp and plastic support boards, Trojniak said. It will stand in the quad outside Grewcock Student Union from January until March or whenever temperatures begin to rise.
The administration granted its approval on Friday, after concerns about the condition of the grass and rink maintenance were addressed, Dell said.
Initially, Student Activities Board hoped to have the rink ready for the Holiday Fest in December, but because the weather might be too unpredictable to guarantee a faster timeline, they decided to push the Holiday Fest back until Jan. 13.
The rink will cost somewhere between $6,000 and $7,000, she said, depending on which size SAB picks. The investment should be a long-term one, though. She said if properly maintained, the rink could last 10 years.
Partly for that reason, Student Fed allocated the funds out of their campus improvements fund instead of the discretionary funds budget. Typically the campus improvements fund sponsors flag poles, benches or senior gift ideas.
"This is a different type of improvement to campus," Dell said. "This seems to be a really solid option for us."
Trojniak said he and a team of volunteers will monitor and maintain the project. When he graduates, his successor will also inherit rink duty, Dell said.
The senior has done extensive research on everything from the topography of the quad to homemade Zambonis but says the day-to-day maintenance of the ice rink will involve simple problem solving.
"There is a need for students to support Josh," Dell said, noting that interested students should approach her or Trojniak to learn more.
Students will have to bring their own skates to campus, because of the cost and storage needs a campus supply would require, but Trojniak says students can enjoy rink activities like broom ball and human curling without them.
"It's fun to have skates, but you don't need them," he said.
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