#DilworthPark ice rink looking good! pic.twitter.com/vlWc2nmmed
— Dave D'Alba (@djdalba) November 13, 2014
Here's a friendly reminder that Rothman Institute Ice Rink at Dilworth Park will officially open tomorrow. Center City District is offering free skating from noon to 3 p.m. There will also be a performance from the Philadelphia Boys Choir and figure skating exhibitions. But how exactly are they able to seamlessly install an ice rink over the fountain? Urban Engineers, designers of the park, explains that the coolness comes in three permanent infrastructure parts.
First, Dilworth Park was constructed with "underground chiller lines" to keep the ice cool. Urban Engineers also explains that (said in an infomercial tone) it eliminates the need for those messy insulated hoses you're always tripping over. Thanks, Urban Engineers!
The second component is the ice melt pit, which is used by the Zamboni. It pushes the extra sheaths of ice off of the rink, where it's melted.
The newest addition to the #RothmanRink at #DilworthPark is... the Zamboni! See you when the rink opens this Friday! pic.twitter.com/hLS7tDgh0d
— Rothman Institute (@RothmanOrtho) November 11, 2014
Lastly, the chiller element has its very own dedicated electrical supply for power and to make sure it keeps that ice frozen solid.
The ice rink was always intended to be one of the focal points of this project. The idea of bringing a rink to City Hall's doorstep, isn't it romantic? While it may seem that it's as simple as plopping the supplies on the ground and cutting the ribbon, these key bits of infrastructure are the things that often go unnoticed — not today! So when you're pulling a triple-lutz mid-rink this holiday season, just remember, it's that underground chiller line that keeps the ice frozen and oh so very hard!
· How They Put an Ice Skating Rink Next to Philadelphia's City Hall [Urban Engineers]
· Dueling Ice Skating Rinks Are Now Fully Under Construction [Curbed Philly]
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