I had to re-post this article from Jen Graves at The Stranger. Like Jen, I grew up in upstate New York, and still carry with me fond memories of waiting for Port Bay to freeze up enough that kids and adults alike could strap on a set of skates. Sure, there was always the off chance that one of us could happen upon a soft patch and plummet to a watery doom. But what’s childhood without a few minor risks?
Also like Jen, I find it a terrible travesty that some developer in Capitol Hill thinks it’s fine to advertise his “ice skating rink” in Seattle Capitol Hill when it’s really a set of interlocking plastic polymer sheets.
Technologically, the rink is pretty amazing. But it’s not ice, and inventor Michael C. Gallant is the first to admit that anyone expecting anything even remotely resembling ice is in for a sad, sad evening of pseudo-skating:
Gallant asked me whether I liked the rink, and I told him straight-out no. He said I probably suffered from two problems: dull skates and unrealistic expectations. “The reality of it is, it’s not refrigerated water,” he said to me. “But we spend a lot of time studying the coefficient of friction on it, and there’s only about 7 percent more resistance than on real ice.” He told me a big part of the client’s job is to manage expectations. “If somebody goes there thinking this is gonna be ice,” he said, “they’re gonna go, ‘What a letdown.’ If they go there thinking it’s a remarkable advancement in plastic technologies, and if they appreciate it for being something that’s green, something that’s made from recycled materials…” his voice trailed off. “Have a little bit of holiday cheer in that article.”
I know that’s why I go to an ice skating rink: to behold “a remarkable advancement in plastic technologies.”
Fortunately, Seattle Center offers actual ice skating from now until the New Year. It’s cheaper than the fake-o rink on Capitol Hill, to boot.
