Making ice is an art

These are wonderful memories of your youth. Whether at school or in my free time, a visit to the ice rink was always special. Perhaps it had something to do with that special air (not in the dressing room...), with the ice-cold hands and feet when the wind blew so beautifully in your face. Perhaps also with the tingling in your stomach when you had made Päärli-Fangis and could glide hand in hand with the big shoal over the ice for a few seconds. Those were moments when you would have loved to stop time. On the other hand, at some point you were also glad to be able to take your skates off again. At times they were so tight that I almost felt sick.

Although I loved spending my free time on the ice rink as a teenager, I never really wondered exactly how the ice that was always available to us in winter was made.

A team of eight

At KuBa Freizeitcenter AG in Rheinfelden, a team of eight is at work to ensure that the lido runs smoothly in summer and the artificial ice rink in winter. As soon as the lido closes, the ice masters prepare the large ice rink. Cooling coils under the concrete ensure that the temperatures are continuously lowered.

"The ground is cooled down to minus 9 degrees Celsius," explains KuBa managing director Willy Vogt. Then a first layer of water of around five to ten millimeters is sprayed onto the field. This is followed by two to three more layers before one of the ice masters drives over the ice with the "Whiteman" and spreads a white layer of chalk powder and water on the ground.

Then the markings - blue and red tapes to demarcate the thirds - the face-off spots and the goal lines as well as any advertising made of liquid are glued to the ice with water. As the ice masters report, this is very tricky work. "Because everything has to be straight and smooth." Finally, further layers of water are sprayed onto the ground with the fire hose until a layer of ice around three centimetres thick is created.

The ice machine

Even at over 50, a visit to the ice rink still has something magical about it. Maybe not because of the Päärli-Fangis... Many things are still similar to the old days and remind us of our own youth. Even the ice machine was around in our day. What exactly does it do? Willy Vogt explains:

"At regular intervals, depending on the number of visitors, the ice masters drive over the ice with the ice-cleaning machines. Planing blades about 2.2 meters long ensure that the top layer of ice is rubbed off. At the same time, a new layer of water is laid. The great skill of the ice master is to ensure that the ice is the same thickness in all places after cleaning."

Fun for young and old

From mid-October to March (the season ends on March 9, 2025), the two ice rinks in Rheinfelden are open to clubs and schools as well as the general public. In addition to the ice hockey club, there are ten other ice hockey teams that train regularly in Rheinfelden. Championship matches are also played by the active and junior teams. You can also book curling events at KuBa and spend unforgettable hours on the artificial ice rink with colleagues, friends or family.

For some, the ice discos, which have been held in Rheinfelden for many decades, are also unforgettable.

The KuBa organizers not only provide visitors with perfectly prepared ice, but also everything else they need. For example, ice hockey equipment, ice skates and chairs for children can be hired as ice skating aids.

"We have over 700 pairs of ice skates for hire, which we keep replacing as required," explains Willy Vogt. And he goes on to explain another KuBa service: "We provide our visitors with numerous free parking spaces."

Why not enjoy a trip to the artificial ice rink again? Spending free time on the ice is always a special experience for young and old alike. The ice on which the KuBa crew works with great care and passion every day to create optimal conditions for visitors.

The artificial ice rink in Rheinfelden is open this season until March 9. There will be ice discos on February 14 and 28 (both from 8.15 to 10.30 p.m. / doors open at 7.15 p.m.).

Janine Tschopp is a freelance journalist. She writes regularly for the Neue Fricktaler Zeitung, the cultural magazine "2x Rheinfelden" and the Rheinfelden Christmas magazine, among others.