BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas on Boston Common, where crews are busy at work preparing the Frog Pond ice skating rink to open next week.
Lights were being set up around the frame of the rink Friday, and the concrete slab on which the ice will sit was in the process of being chilled.
John Schaub, General Manager of the Frog Pond, told WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas the weekend's cold weather will help the process a lot.
"Today's ideal for finishing this up, and then we'll start to make ice when the sun goes down," Schaub said. "Making ice is a lot of fun. If people want to come by and watch tonight, there'll be somebody here probably until around midnight or so laying water, it freezes pretty quickly."
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It all starts with some heavy lifting, putting the boards around the rink.
"These boards are made of steel, so they're like around 400 pounds per unit, and there are 54 units going around," Schaub said.
That's the hardest part—then out comes the chiller, and making the ice itself.
"We start with a garden hose with a fine mist," he said. "You just start spraying water and start getting that initial layer down.
Then, the Zamboni comes out and finishes the job.
Schaub said the process of setting up the rink takes about two weeks.
"We're slated for Tuesday right now," he said. "I think we're gonna make it, but if not, we'll definitely make Wednesday, just depending on how much ice we're able to get done."
WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas (@JamesRojasWBZ) reports
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