Details of Toronto’s mysterious rooftop rink revealed

(YouTube/Molson Canadian)

The mystery around a rooftop rink spotted in downtown Toronto has been solved.

The outdoor sheet of ice is part of Molson Canadian’s 2016 #anythingforhockey campaign, the brewing company announced Thursday via official release.

The brewer will send four fans to compete in some shinny atop the 32-story building at 120 Adelaide St. West in Toronto’s financial district.

“Molson Canadian is passionate about hockey and sharing the love for the game with our fans,” said Chris Blackburn, Director of Marketing, Molson Canadian in a release. “Through our #anythingforhockey campaign, we are offering unforgettable experiences that will quite literally elevate the game to new heights and we look forward to sharing our winners’ experience with the world in February.”

While the contest closed on December 10, Molson is listening on calls for more Canadians to get in on the once-in-a-lifetime experience of playing rooftop hockey.

“Although we built the rooftop rink exclusively for our contest winners, we know there are many more fans out there who would love to skate on it,” added Blackburn. “We have certainly been listening to every comment and hope to share some exciting news soon.”

The rink carries a weekly operational cost of $100,000.00.

Molson Canadian Rooftop Rink – Key Facts

  • The rink is half the size of an official NHL sized-sheet, perfect for a three-on-three game.
  • While many locations were considered, the Toronto building was the only one that could accommodate the rink at a significant height.
  • The rink project began November 29, as equipment was lifted onto the rooftop by utilizing the cranes on a neighbouring building. Though the ice surface and boards are in place, construction will not be complete until January 10.
  • Complicated elements include leveling for the ice structure, infrastructure for piping, drainage, relocation of vents, water pipes and erecting a stair system for access to the roof.
  • Since shoveling snow off the roof isn’t a possibility, snow is melted on the roof under hot water and then drained.
  • Due to weight limitations, there is a strict capacity in the amount of people that can be on the roof at the same time.
  • To clear the ice, a flooding machine will use hot water to flood the rink and an ice scrapper to smooth it out.
  • Regulation glass and nets will be in place to protect pucks form flying over the edge.

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