We are living in a time of uncertainty, doubt and instability. A unique situation in the contemporary world, which has shaken the foundations of established societies. Regarding the world of ice skating, there are many customers who write to us asking questions regarding the pandemic and the possibilities of skating rinks in these circumstances. Is an ice rink safe in times of COVID? How to keep skaters and workers safe? Why should I go for synthetic in these times?
These and other questions are coming up frequently. Here are our answers!
Is an ice rink safe during this period of the pandemic?
Yes. Absolutely yes. Ice rinks can be installed both indoors and outdoors. It is general knowledge that the impact of the virus in outdoor settings is much lower, as are most of our installations assembled outdoors. Likewise, at Xtraice we recommend several points to take into account to reduce the possible impact of the virus.
Recommendations for the rink managements
- Daily cleaning and disinfection of the barriers and accessories.
- Separate the entrance from the exit to the rink
- Distance waiting lines with markings on the ground to ensure social distance.
- Separate the customers in the skate hire area in an entrance and exit zone
- Guarantee the rink’s capacity by marking at least 4m2 for every skater
- Disinfecting the skates after each use
Recommendations for the skaters
- Use of face masks
- Skate in one direction
- Maintain the social distance of at least 1’5 meters
- Washing and sanitize your hands before accessing the rink
All these actions will make your ice rink a safe installation. In fact, all Xtraice skating rinks have been certified with the ISO Corona proof safety protocols, being the only company in the synthetic skating business to meet these standards.
How to keep a safe distance on an ice rink?
At Xtraice, we have always recommended that skating rinks must have a capacity of 1 skater for every 4m2. This recommendation allows, without any problem, to comply with the standard of maintaining the social distance of 1,5 meter between skaters. And we strongly recommend that skating is done in one direction only to avoid, by doing so, possible collision between skaters.
One of the options we propose is to include so-called “skating aisles”. These are specially designed barriers that allow you to direct the sense of skating in a single direction.
