Live video stream of rink construction

[Bill_S]

The Chiller rink system in Columbus, Ohio is adding a third sheet of ice to the Chiller North facility. They have installed a live cam that is viewable over the internet to show the workers doing their magic.

https://www.thechiller.com/index.cfm?pageName=page&pageid=380

As of this writing, it looks like they are building the concrete block wall. It is just a couple feet high right now, and there's a roof installed over part of the area. It looks like a grid of pipes in the distant part of the scene, and I suspect that's where the ice will be. The front construction looks like an extension to the lobby, which is already big.

It's fun to check in from time to time to watch the progress.

[Bill_S]

BTW, I found some old photos that I took of Chiller North before the new construction. I haven't been there in years, but it was always a big place and now getting even bigger. The mezzanine area is ideal for large parties, and looks out over the two existing sheets of ice...

One of the ice sheets seen from the mezzanine...



Some of the mezzanine area...



The front desk from the stairway to the mezzanine...



I wish my local rink were so posh.

[AgnesNitt]

Building a giant rink.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVxwYlZzwBU

[Bill_S]

That's a RINK!

I see that the pink cast of the coolant under the ice was disguised with a white-tinted layer. 

[Bill_S]

I have been irregularly watching the rink construction. Now that the internet camera has been moved from the parking lot to the rink area inside, and it's a lot more interesting. It's fun to see what's being put down for the rink floor. I wish that I had a screen grab from the internet camera a little earlier to see what's under the sand.

This one is from the 15th...



I'm not sure what the dark hose is. Insulation goes over it later on.

A frame grab from the 18th. Plastic sheeting is placed over the sand, and foam insulating slabs are being placed over that...



On the 19th, the second layer of foam slab insulation is place on top of the first...



Today, the fitting of foam pieces around the edge has been completed...



I suspect that the cooling coils will be the aluminum-looking rolls of tubing seen around the left edge of the camera frame. It will be fun to see how those will be placed and held in position.

[FigureSpins]

I love watching time-lapse videos of rink construction, especially the ice painting.

The black tubing keeps the sand warm, creating the "warming floor" that prevents frost heaves.
http://arenawatch.org/Dloads/Typ-Sand-Base-Rink%20Dwg-Pkg.pdf1

On a concrete rink, pipes are embedded in the concrete to serve the same function. 

Here's a bit on a concrete-base rink:
https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/ice-rink2.htm

[FigureSpins]

Did you check the Internet Archive for earlier screen grabs?

[Bill_S]

I came to the same conclusion about the black tubes under the sand and layers of insulation -  to prevent frost heave.

I might check the internet archive later. I've been watching the feed occasionally this morning as I do some graphics for my wife. They have put a layer of plastic over the insulation and have marked it. I assume that it's for the cooling coil layout.

I watched them using a stretched snap-line to ensure straight lines while the spray paint was applied. No laser-alignment toys for these guys!

[Bill_S]

The third sheet of ice for Chiller North in Columbus almost finished. It's a few months behind schedule though.

I've been viewing daily and taking screen captures of the live video feed. I find the construction fascinating.

After marking the lines in the last picture, they placed L-brackets on the lines.



They put rebar between the brackets running across the rink, and then another layer lengthwise on top of the brackets. They tied the top rebar to the L-brackets.



At the end of the day...

[Bill_S]

They then nestled the coolant tubing between the rebar...



Then poured concrete...



...and smoothed the surface...

[Bill_S]

Time to install HVAC ducting and other things in the ceiling...



Install the boards and rubber matting...



That's all finished now.



It's been fairly quiet lately, so I expect that the locker rooms are being worked on. I look forward to seeing the floor painted.

[Bill_S]

I was curious to see if Google Earth had an updated aerial photo showing the construction. It began late last summer, but it looks as if the photo predates that.



I roughed in the location of the new sheet of ice. Too bad that this is the most distant of the Columbus rinks from home.

[Bill_S]

Tornadoes were around Ohio yesterday. Dayton got hit, and we had tornado warnings at 1:17 a.m. High winds were all around.

This morning I logged into the webcam for the new construction in northern Columbus and saw this...



Looks like there's a little extra roof work to do now.

[AgnesNitt]

Any advances on this rink?

[Bill_S]

Things have really slowed down. They are putting in a host of small rooms in the front of the building (behind the camera view), so maybe that's where the work is happening.

I visit the web page a couple times per day, but nothing has been visible for the past couple weeks.

I hope that I don't miss the floor painting when that happens.

[Bill_S]

I'll bet that floor painting is coming soon. I saw this strange little machine at the far end of the rink yesterday evening,



...and thought that it might be a surface cleaner for the concrete floor.

Late this morning I saw this...



The floor has been freshly cleaned. Painting must be coming soon!

[Bill_S]

No floor paint yet. I'm still waiting for that.

They have been cleaning the walls, glass, and especially the floor with this machine. Let's call it a concrete Zamboni. I'd bet that there's some sealant in the solution to prevent water from entering the concrete through pores.

This machine has been run daily over the concrete, sometimes several times per day.



This 3rd-sheet addition was scheduled for completion in mid-winter. Looks like they are a little behind schedule. I'll be the owners are anxious to put it into service to start producing income.

[Bill_S]

This is happening today. I edited-out my previous speculation. We'll just watch to see what happens next.



I did notice that a lot of work has been ongoing for installing more lighting, and some wall painting.

Judging from changing moisture patterns on the concrete, it also looked like they were testing the refrigeration system last week.

[Bill_S]

Floor painting is happening now.

https://www.thechiller.com/index.cfm?pageName=page&pageid=380



Looks like I need to dust off my skates and get ready. It's not the closest rink to me (~2hrs), but I've skated on their other two sheets of ice in the past.

[Bill_S]

The lines are being painted now.

[Bill_S]

It was enlightening to see how they did the painting. They followed snap-lines and marker-drawn circles. The circles were marked with a length of cord held by one person at the end, and attached to a marking stick on the other. The stick was walked around by the second worker.



But to my surprise, they did all the painting of lines freehand, just following the layout on the floor.



It's done now, and they are putting down additional layers of water over the artwork to protect it from the Zamboni.

[FigureSpins]

Is it Jet Ice doing the painting?  They like using the paint for lines, rather than the mesh tape.  The mesh stays clearer, longer, but if you have a melt or a floor heave, it can create a trip hazard if it comes up to the ice surface.  Our logos are all made of mesh - very cool and crisp.

[Bill_S]

I don't know who they hired for painting. It was all done by hand, with brushes. That would be a backbreaking job!

This was the first time I've seen rink graphics put down. I didn't know what to expect.

I hope that they leave the camera up after the construction. If I get up there to skate, I'll wave as I skate by!