Fake ice under consideration

A Dorval businessman hopes milder winters will play into his hands as he hopes to convince municipalities to invest in synthetic ice he is promoting for outdoor rinks.

Officials from about 40 municipalities took in a demonstration of EZ Glide 350, an artificial ice surface made from a polymer compound, at the Dorval Golf Course parking lot last Wednesday. Promoter François Bilodeau said the U.S.-made synthetic ice panels he is licensed to sell in Quebec are suitable for hockey and figure skating training and public skating outdoors. "This product, which lasts 20 years, is more feasible to use for outdoor rinks now that the weather in recent years doesn't allow for more than three weeks of ice on outdoor rinks," he said. "There are also no power bills since it's not refrigerated and there's hardly any maintenance."

Since it requires about 15 per cent more effort for skaters to move on it than regular ice, the synthetic ice surface is not recommended for hockey games, only practices. "It would probably be very hard on the players to play a game on it," Bilodeau said.

Dorval Mayor Edgar Rouleau, who plays Dorval Oldtimers hockey, donned skates to try out the synthetic ice surface last week. "A lot of cities are looking at alternatives for our outdoor rinks since we had only about 25 days (of useable outdoor ice) last year," he said. "For the last five to seven years it's been very difficult to maintain outdoor rinks."

Bilodeau said last Friday he has about 20 meetings set up as a result of last week's demonstration in Dorval. "Three cities have it in their 2009 budgets but nothing has been signed yet," he said. He said the synthetic ice costs about $18 to $24 per square foot, depending on the exchange rate. A full-sized hockey rink would cost about $360,000 but the panels can be made to fit any size or configuration, he said, adding homeowners could consider the artificial ice for their backyards.

Rouleau estimated a refrigerated outdoor ice rink facility would cost the city about $1 million. "So there's a possibility of a big economy," he said.

Rouleau said while he wants to test the product out some more, he thinks the synthetic ice could be installed on one of the city's public skating outdoor rinks but only come next year.

Bilodeau mentioned since many West Island municipalities, including Dorval, are open to installing synthetic grass fields for soccer and football, he will be able to sell them on synthetic ice, which he added could be moved from location to location for special events.

For more information, check Bilodeau's website at www.glacesynthetique.ca.

• 
• 
• View the gallery