SIGHTS
An oblong ice rink with a low wall or railing around the perimeter, winter sights surrounding the rink (frost-dusted trees, snowdrifts, a street with shops and restaurants, skyscrapers, light poles, traffic zipping past and sending up plumes of exhaust), a facilities building (holding restrooms, equipment rentals, lockers, and concessions), outdoor seats and tables, floodlights for night skating, hockey nets and markings within the ice, a Zamboni cruising along and leaving a slick trail of smooth ice in its wake, skaters with ice-frosted pants, children making their way around the rink by holding onto the wall, kids using walkers or sleds, hockey teams practicing during designated time periods, breath trails lifting away from everyone’s faces, confident skaters making sweeping turns and twirls, couples holding onto each other’s hands, cones set up to demarcate a figure-skating area in the middle of the rink, figure skaters in costume practicing their routines, maintenance crews spraying the rink with water or shoveling the ice, falling snow, lone skaters racing around the rink, crowds of skaters moving slowly across the ice
SOUNDS
Blades slicing across the ice or scraping to a stop, people laughing and talking, kids squealing or crying, music playing over a stereo system, a hockey stick slapping the ice, a puck thumping into a goalie’s glove, a puck hitting the boards, coaches shouting to their players, the fast-moving blades of skaters racing around the rink, the clatter of skates tangling and people falling to the ground, wind blowing through the trees or whistling between buildings, flags or decorations fluttering in a breeze, the hum of a Zamboni moving across the ice, shovels scraping up loose snow, a child sipping at a steaming hot chocolate, the crinkle of jackets and snow pants stiff with cold
SMELLS
Ozone, ice, coffee, hot chocolate, tea, food smells from nearby eating establishments, hot dogs cooking at the concession stand
TASTES
Cold air, lip balm, coffee, hot chocolate, water, concession food (nachos, pizza, hot dogs, fries, sandwiches), vending machine food (chips, candy, chocolate, cookies)
TEXTURES AND SENSATIONS
Squinting away from the sun’s bright glare on the ice, the over-bright white of the snow giving one a headache, numb fingers and toes, mittens catching splinters as one holds onto the wall, trying to balance on two thin blades, being jostled by other skaters, throwing oneself off-balance to avoid hitting someone, skates painfully tight on one’s feet and ankles, too-loose skates that cause fatigue and aches in the ankles and instep, landing on hard ice, falling and scraping one’s palms or face, hitting one’s head on the boards, shivering in the cold, sweating in one’s winter clothes, the bulky feeling of being bundled up in heavy clothing, a skater sliding to a stop and showering one with ice, a frigid wind blowing into one’s face, stray hair sticking to one’s lip balm, static cling from a fuzzy winter hat, shocking oneself on the metal railing, turning an ankle and having to limp off the ice
POSSIBLE SOURCES OF CONFLICT
Skaters of different experience levels sharing a small area
Lack of supervision
Weak ankles
Not being dressed appropriately
Reckless skaters
Flying pucks
Unhealthy competition between skaters
Falling tree limbs
An unmaintained skating surface full of pocks, troughs, holes, or gouges
Injuries (falls, scrapes, bruises, bumps)
A parent forgetting to pick a child up
Being the last skater around at night and feeling unsafe
PEOPLE COMMONLY FOUND HERE
Casual skaters, children, employees working at the concession or rental booth, families, figure skaters, figure skating or hockey coaches, hockey players, maintenance workers, volunteers, Zamboni drivers
RELATED SETTINGS THAT MAY TIE IN WITH THIS ONE
Rural Volume: Lake, pond, ski resort
Urban Volume: Park, rec center
SETTING NOTES AND TIPS
While this entry has focused largely on the manufactured skating rink, there are other outdoor skating venues. In northern climates, frozen ponds and lakes provide a more natural skating experience. Devoid of walls, floodlights, and concession stands, these venues have an organic, back-to-nature atmosphere, providing a different feel than man-made rinks. It is also common for families who are into winter activities to flood their backyards or a section of their property to create a small rink, allowing their kids to play with their friends or learn how to skate. Snow shoveled from the surface creates a bank around the sides both to create a perimeter for wayward pucks and to provide a soft landing for new skaters.
SETTING DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE
Lenny squeezed his daddy’s hand in his two mittened fists. He tried to stand, but the skates slipped and slid beneath him like metal snakes. He eyed the hard ice and squeezed his eyes shut, but that only made the slip-and-slide feeling worse. Abandoning the hand in his grip, he threw his arms around his daddy’s legs and buried his face in the ice-crusted fabric.
Techniques and Devices Used: Multisensory descriptions, simile
Resulting Effects: Reinforcing emotion, tension and conflict