A typical Saturday night in winter usually includes an indoor activity of some sort to stay out of the frigid temperatures. At the Banasz household, a typical Saturday night in winter isn’t spent inside. Instead, it is spent outside in their backyard with a bonfire, food and drink, friends, neighbors and a 60-by-30 foot ice rink.
Jeff Banasz, a resident of Moorestown, has put in his own ice rink in his backyard for his family to enjoy. This is his sixth year of having an ice rink and it has gotten to be known as a cool place for friends and neighbors to hang out. They have even created a Facebook page called Banasz Ice Rink that has almost 300 Likes.
“It is a good use of the yard in the wintertime,” Banasz said. “It’s great for my boys and I because the three of us can go out there after dinner or early in the morning and skate. It’s pretty neat.”
Banasz grew up on a lake in Voorhees that would freeze over in the winter, and he would play hockey on it. When Banasz’s first son was 2, he thought it would be a good idea to share the feeling he had growing up on the lake with his children. That is when he decided to build a rink in his backyard. He knew about people doing it before and felt it would freeze a lot more quickly than a pond.
The first year was the toughest, Banasz said, because he had to get all the supplies. However, overall, he said it is not hard to set up. He started out with a kit for a smaller 40-by-20 foot rink that included a tarp and brackets, and he had to get wood for the outside of the rink. Over the years, it grew to the 60-by-30 foot rink that it is now.
To get the rink ready, Banasz and his sons put the brackets and wood in the ground around the middle of December before the ground freezes. Around the beginning of January is when they would start watching the weather. When there are four or five days in a row that are cold enough to freeze the water, that is when they will finish putting together the rink and start adding water.
According to Banasz, two hoses running for 12 hours fill the rink, which is about four to six inches deep. He said that is around 51,000 gallons of water. That is a lot of water to freeze, however, he said a layer on top would freeze overnight, which will prevent leaves from getting in.
“If you put water in and it doesn’t freeze right away, leaves can get in and leaves draw heat. The trick is to not choose a windy day and let it freeze overnight. Leaves can’t get in the water after the layer on top,” Banasz said.
To maintain the rink, Banasz said you have to become your own Zamboni. After everyone skates, you need to shovel off all the loose ice shavings. Then you pour hot water over the top of the ice that will eventually freeze and create a smooth service. Banasz said it is much easier at his new house because he has a utility sink in his garage where he can get hot water. Before, he used to use cold water from a spigot and it just wouldn’t work as well. Hot water on top melts the first layer and makes the ice smooth and level for skating.
One might wonder if the rink affects the ground negatively, but Banasz says not at all. The rink insolates the grass underneath, allowing it to stay green. Once they take the tarp down, the ice melts so slowly it practically waters the grass, without any flooding problem at all.
At first, the rink was just for Banasz and his children. However, as they have gotten older, friends have been invited to come over with their parents, too. It’s become an attraction on a Saturday or Sunday, where the Banaszs send an open invitation to friends and neighbors. It became such a big thing they created a Facebook page to let people know when there is an open skate. Many nights include a bonfire, food and drinks, and lots of fun ice-skating.
“It’s like a big ski resort without the mountain, which is great because my wife and I like to entertain. It is really fun to do,” Banasz said.
Banasz is glad the rink has grown to include their friends. He feels creating those memories with family and friends is the best part.
“Everyone says you’re making great memories here. It’s cool looking back growing up on the lake. And I hope my sons and their friends do the same here. As they get older, I hope they’ll say, ‘I had a great time every winter going over the Banaszs.’ Playing hockey with my boys and having fun with them and coming over with their friends to create memories is probably the best part,” Banasz said.
The Banasz Ice Rink isn’t the only backyard rink around. According to Banasz, though he is not sure it is a trend, he has heard of four or five other families who have put together rinks in their backyard. He said it isn’t hard to do and definitely works for a fun time for families and friends to share in the wintertime together.
