Jūrmala Seasonal Rental Ice Rink 2019/20

The 2019/20 Jūrmala project is valuable because its archive documents the work behind a seasonal real-ice rink rather than only the finished attraction. The record shows installation, flexible refrigeration-mat assembly, refrigeration equipment and gradual ice build-up during December 2019.

For municipalities and event organisers, this is an important reminder: a seasonal rink is not delivered when the equipment arrives. The real project sequence continues through assembly, hydraulic checks, commissioning and controlled formation of the skating surface.

Project at a glance

The project starts before ice is visible

The most useful part of this reference is the installation sequence. Before the public sees a white skating surface, the technical team must create stable conditions underneath it.

A typical seasonal real-ice workflow includes:

1. site handover and base inspection;
2. surface preparation and levelling where required;
3. EPDM mat deployment;
4. collector and hose connection;
5. refrigeration-unit positioning;
6. electrical connection;
7. hydraulic pressure testing;
8. filling and venting of the secondary-fluid circuit;
9. pump and flow checks;
10. refrigeration start-up;
11. temperature stabilisation;
12. controlled thin-layer ice build-up;
13. initial resurfacing and final handover.

Every one of these steps can affect the opening date.

Why the supporting base matters

Flexible refrigeration mats follow the surface below them. A poorly prepared base can create uneven water depth during ice formation and therefore uneven ice thickness.

Possible consequences include:

• higher refrigeration load where ice becomes unnecessarily thick;
• weak or thin areas elsewhere;
• poor board alignment;
• resurfacing difficulties;
• local mat stress;
• longer ice-build time.

For a new seasonal project, base level should therefore be checked before delivery rather than after the installation crew arrives.

EPDM installation is a hydraulic system, not only a floor covering

The flexible mats contain multiple refrigeration channels. Once deployed, they must be connected so the secondary fluid circulates evenly through the field.

Commissioning should verify:

• connection integrity;
• pressure tightness;
• air removal;
• pump operation;
• flow distribution;
• supply and return temperatures;
• surface temperature uniformity.

A chiller can be operating normally while the rink still performs poorly if air is trapped or the hydraulic distribution is uneven.

Chiller position should be decided before mobilisation

The refrigeration unit needs more than an empty space beside the rink. The location influences:

• airflow;
• noise;
• hydraulic pipe length;
• electrical cable length;
• service access;
• truck or crane access;
• public safety;
• visual impact in a city or leisure environment.

Changing the plant position after installation begins can affect both schedule and hydraulic design.

Ice should be built gradually

The project archive documents gradual formation of the skating surface. AST rental guidance uses controlled spray / thin-layer build-up rather than flooding a deep layer of water at once.

Thin-layer build-up helps the operator:

• freeze each layer more consistently;
• correct minor surface irregularities progressively;
• avoid creating excessive water depth;
• control final ice thickness;
• prepare a dense, maintainable skating surface.

For arena operation, IIHF guidance gives roughly 25–35 mm as a typical economical ice-thickness range. Excessive thickness increases thermal resistance and refrigeration demand.

Installation duration and ice-build duration are separate programme items

A common planning error is to allow time for equipment assembly but not enough time for the refrigeration system and ice surface to stabilise before opening.

A seasonal project programme should therefore contain separate milestones for:

• site ready;
• equipment delivered;
• hydraulics complete;
• refrigeration commissioned;
• ice build started;
• operating thickness achieved;
• initial resurfacing complete;
• operator handover complete;
• public opening.

Practical lesson: build contingency between technical completion and the advertised opening date.

Outdoor refrigeration sizing must consider the actual season

The required chiller capacity for a Jūrmala-type project cannot be derived from the rink area alone.

Outdoor load depends on:

• air temperature;
• solar radiation;
• wind;
• rain;
• humidity;
• ice temperature;
• operating hours;
• visitor load;
• resurfacing frequency;
• site shading.

ASHRAE’s area-to-capacity ranges should therefore be used only to check a full heat-load calculation.

Commissioning should create a baseline for the season

Before handover, the team should record what normal operation looks like. Useful baseline information can include:

• secondary-fluid supply and return temperatures;
• pump status;
• normal refrigeration stages;
• surface temperature distribution;
• control setpoints;
• alarm-free operating condition;
• initial ice thickness;
• known site-specific instructions.

This gives seasonal operators something objective to compare against if performance changes later.

Operator handover should happen on the real system

Training is most useful after the equipment is commissioned and before the public season begins.

Operators should understand:

• normal ice temperature;
• daily visual checks;
• basic controller information;
• weather response;
• resurfacing procedure;
• ice-thickness checks;
• what alarms require escalation;
• what must not be adjusted without technical support.

This is especially important for seasonal teams that may not operate refrigeration equipment year-round.

What a client can learn from Jūrmala 2019/20

1. Do not schedule from delivery date to opening date directly. Commissioning and ice formation need time.
2. Prepare the base before the technical crew arrives.
3. EPDM is a hydraulic system. Pressure, venting and flow matter as much as mat placement.
4. Fix chiller location early. It affects power, noise, access and hydraulics.
5. Build ice gradually. Final quality depends on controlled formation, not only refrigeration capacity.
6. Create a commissioning baseline. It makes seasonal fault diagnosis much easier.

When this reference is particularly useful

The Jūrmala archive is relevant for clients planning:

• their first seasonal real-ice rink;
• municipal winter projects;
• turnkey ice-rink rental;
• event rinks with a fixed public opening date;
• sites where local contractors prepare the base and utilities before rink installation;
• projects where the client wants to understand exactly what happens between delivery and opening.

SPORTWAVE perspective

Jūrmala 2019/20 demonstrates why SPORTWAVE treats seasonal rental as a commissioning project rather than equipment hire. Site readiness, EPDM installation, refrigeration, hydraulics, ice build-up and operator handover are one technical chain.

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