The back boards are all made by Alan, who has a bandmill. He uses balsam because it rots slower than pine. The key end posts were driven deep into the ground and are the only parts of the rink that stay in place after winter ends.

The ground has been leveled by hand and by tractor. Alan figures that end-to-end, it is only eight inches out of level. Pretty impressive, and necessary to keep the water from leaking out.

To make the ice, Alan first uses a regular garden hose to spritz the grass. This creates the primary base. Then an industrial pump is placed near the creek, and Alan hooks up four sections of fire hose and begins the nightly process of flooding the ground with 70 gallons of water.

It's a cold job that requires three people to help roll and unroll the hoses. Then the hoses have to be dried out for use again the next evening. Snow is often packed up against the outside of the boards to help keep the water in long enough to freeze up. One year they had to go into the bush for two pickup loads of snow when their own yard was lacking. It takes twelve to sixteen floodings, about 30-45 minutes each, before a strong solid surface is formed.