Utility, Maintenance, Operating Costs Of An Ice Rink In Canada?

[Neutrinos]

How much are the monthly expenses when owning an ice rink in Canada?

I'm speaking specifically about the cost of hydro, water, gas, insurance, chemicals, etc. (not employee wages)

The rink is new, indoors, no seating, and runs year-round

 

[tony d]

Really don't know. I know our local arena had a fundraiser a few yrs. back to get a new zamboni. That relied somewhat on funds from the general public.

 

[LadyStanley]

Depends on size of facility (# of rinks, perhaps some economy of scale), age of facility (more maintenance on older rink) and equipment, how well facility is maintained (delaying payments = more $$ down the road), local climate (dehumidifiers?), quality of build (how much insulation under floor, walls, ceiling), design (double doors to prevent outside air getting to rink). How thick is the ice kept (some arenas may only have 1/2" of ice, while practice facilities might have closer to an inch)?

Don't forget the cost of salt as well.

Is the ice "made" for figure skating, curling or ice hockey (different thickness/give)? (Jumping/landing can add groves to surfaces meant for hockey.)

 

[GuelphStormer]

"Rinks" also vary greatly. Some are indoor, some are outdoors but covered, some are outdoors without cover, others are boards only (no glass). Large and medium size communities (100K+) generally have one or more indoor facilities. Smaller communities (10K to 25K) often have outdoor, covered rinks. Really small places may often have outdoor, uncovered.

 

[Tarantula]

My minor hockey rink had harder and faster ice then most as it was also well known for figure skating. They used to have major figure skating competitions back then at the local rink. When my team went on the road I always noticed how the ice elsewhere seemed a bit slower, not as crisp.

 

[Jumptheshark]

How much are the monthly expenses when owning an ice rink in Canada?

I'm speaking specifically about the cost of hydro, water, gas, insurance, chemicals, etc. (not employee wages)

The rink is new, indoors, and runs year-round

Depends on usage. Out 365 days how many days will it be in use?

 

[Jumptheshark]

Also what bells and whistles does the arena have. My buddy runs a newish arena that seats about 3000 for hockey 3500 for concerts. And it houses a small bar and 5 shops

Is the arena multi usage?

 

[Neutrinos]

Depends on usage. Out 365 days how many days will it be in use?

Everyday

 

[Neutrinos]

Also what bells and whistles does the arena have. My buddy runs a newish arena that seats about 3000 for hockey 3500 for concerts. And it houses a small bar and 5 shops

Is the arena multi usage?

No seats, no multi usage

 

[Jumptheshark]

So used everyday only for hockey and nothing else.

Wow.

Limitations put in are beyond my capabilities to figure out how the arena could work

 

[Jumptheshark]

So no one comes to watch. No concessions?


A cheap zambonie starts at 15k and depending on the usage of the arena I need more details

How many games are being played daily?
Is the arena running 18 hours a day?

 

[Jumptheshark]

Are you having ice year round?

 

[Neutrinos]

Are you having ice year round?

Yes, says in the OP it runs year-round

 

[Neutrinos]

So no one comes to watch. No concessions?


A cheap zambonie starts at 15k and depending on the usage of the arena I need more details

How many games are being played daily?
Is the arena running 18 hours a day?

5 - 6 games per day
Runs from 8am - 11pm

 

[Neutrinos]

Depends on usage. Out 365 days how many days will it be in use?

365

 

[Jumptheshark]

Where is the rink located?

Keeping the ice playable for the amount of time you will be playing needs to be factored in

Example. An skating rink in Burnaby BC and a skating rink in fort mac Alberta runs at two different costs.

Also the biggest hit is not running the rink but the taxes on the land

 

[Jumptheshark]

5 - 6 games per day
Runs from 8am - 11pm

Are you playing ful 60 minute games or half hour games.

Are they real games or pick up games? 20 minute period with refs?

 

[Neutrinos]

Are you playing ful 60 minute games or half hour games.

Are they real games or pick up games? 20 minute period with refs?

What do refs have to do with the maintenance and utility costs of running a rink?

I just need a ballpark cost of running a rink

 

[tank44]

Another factor I see a lot in some towns is that ice-rink and swimming pool are located at same site and actually work together to lower costs. The heat out of the ice rink heats the pool and vice versa. Most US urban rinks I have been to do not have this and seem very energy inefficient

 

[Tarantula]

I just need a ballpark cost of running a rink

What size of ball park?

 

[Hoser]

You're asking too broad a question for it to be answered any more succinctly than "it depends". It depends on where it is (temperature conditions, site orientation), how big it is (and I don't just mean how many rinks or how many seats; what's the footprint? the building massing?), what kinds of amenities it has, how its mechanical and electrical systems are set up (gas heat? electric heat? how is the refrigerant plant designed? LED lights? what's the acceptable indoor temperature?), what the utility rates are, mill rates for property tax, yadda yadda yadda.

In my experience in the city of Calgary the monthly gas, electricity and water costs alone are $10,000+ per month. Property tax depends on the ownership structure, the site location and all sorts of other factors; could be $20,000/month or more. No idea what insurance costs. Maintenance budgeting should factor thousands of dollars per annum extra to pay for future equipment replacements.

It costs a lot. That's why in my experience private ownership is rare; costs are usually borne by the taxpayers.

 

[End on a Hinote]

I was wondering that back when Hockeyville Canada was awarded only $100k about ten years ago. I didnt think that could go very far, even for a rink that only seats a couple hundred.

 

[powerstuck]

Well, it's definitely going to be hard to give an exact answer.

Here's what I can tell you about my area.

A few years ago a private investor spent 5,5$M CAD to build a single rink (no seats) in the Quebec City area (about 20 mins away from downtown).

Another thing I can tell you, renting an hour of ice costs between 200$ and 300$ hour. Now you can estimate that the business/city who does it, took into account all costs, including wages to come to that number.

Now, leagues and skating clubs probably get a discount...so I guess somewhere around 100-150$/hour could be a good estimate.

I've also found a two year old journal article about a small city in the east of Quebec who said the cost to run their arena were at 400 000$ / year.

Finally, our mayor stated back in 2015 that the old Colisee Pepsi in Québec City, just to keep standing was costing 900 000$/year (so no activity, no ice, just to make sure electricity still runs and pipes don't burst during cold winter days). So that's for a 15000 seats arena.

 

[Jumptheshark]

You're asking too broad a question for it to be answered any more succinctly than "it depends". It depends on where it is (temperature conditions, site orientation), how big it is (and I don't just mean how many rinks or how many seats; what's the footprint? the building massing?), what kinds of amenities it has, how its mechanical and electrical systems are set up (gas heat? electric heat? how is the refrigerant plant designed? LED lights? what's the acceptable indoor temperature?), what the utility rates are, mill rates for property tax, yadda yadda yadda.

In my experience in the city of Calgary the monthly gas, electricity and water costs alone are $10,000+ per month. Property tax depends on the ownership structure, the site location and all sorts of other factors; could be $20,000/month or more. No idea what insurance costs. Maintenance budgeting should factor thousands of dollars per annum extra to pay for future equipment replacements.

It costs a lot. That's why in my experience private ownership is rare; costs are usually borne by the taxpayers.

This was the reason I was asking so many questions. A buddy of mine runs a small arena in alberta. He put the ice in on September 1st and removes it usually mid april. After that it hosts rock concerts, flea markets. Church gatherings and other fun stuff.

If he didn't do that he could not run the arena year round. He also runs the concessions and that helps the bottom line.

Also, he has to have and ambulance and medics there during the winter whenever he has games and that is not cheap.

I can not see how you can run an arena with just hockey and nothing else

 

[Yukon Joe]

Well, it's definitely going to be hard to give an exact answer.

Here's what I can tell you about my area.

A few years ago a private investor spent 5,5$M CAD to build a single rink (no seats) in the Quebec City area (about 20 mins away from downtown).

Another thing I can tell you, renting an hour of ice costs between 200$ and 300$ hour. Now you can estimate that the business/city who does it, took into account all costs, including wages to come to that number.

Now, leagues and skating clubs probably get a discount...so I guess somewhere around 100-150$/hour could be a good estimate.

I've also found a two year old journal article about a small city in the east of Quebec who said the cost to run their arena were at 400 000$ / year.

Finally, our mayor stated back in 2015 that the old Colisee Pepsi in Québec City, just to keep standing was costing 900 000$/year (so no activity, no ice, just to make sure electricity still runs and pipes don't burst during cold winter days). So that's for a 15000 seats arena.

Thanks for that analysis. In my "if I ever win the lottery" kind of daydreaming, on of my daydreams had been to build my own private rink - rent out a lot of the icetime where I can, but to make sure that me, my team, and my kids teams could have all the ice time they could ever want. But I rather suspected that was not particularly realistic...