Charlie Parrish, Colorado YardRink Owner Since 2022
2022 represented a big year and journey for our family – moving from Alabama to our first residence where we would experience the ‘winter season’ in picturesque Colorado. Beyond the expected challenges of moving across the country, we had to acclimate to something which was beyond our expectations…cold, snow, and ice!
Turning into a Skating Family
On our property, I discovered a flat piece of land and immediately thought of an outdoor rink, even though I had never seen one, been on one, or even skated before. As this was the first time I’d ever lived in a winter climate, my family and friends back in Alabama questioned my decision-making. However, I wanted to do it and I’m so glad I did!
Once committed to the rink, I did my research and settled on the YarkRink system as it seemed to be the right solution for me and my family. Although we faced some unexpected delivery challenges beyond the Company’s control, the YarkRink team was there to support the process and made sure it was delivered and I had everything I needed. After I completed the setup, I started to understand why a backyard rink is appealing to so many families. For all the expected benefits of creating an outdoor space for my kids, I didn’t fully understand the magnetic attraction it would provide our neighborhood. We welcomed anyone who wanted to skate to come by and enjoy it with us.
For the Love of Ice!
I was especially surprised by my sudden passion to create great ice. With
the volume of snow that fell, we had to purchase a snow thrower and begin to understand that shoveling it clear wasn’t always possible, regardless of the quality exercise it provided us all. After a month, I learned from trial and error to leave a little amount of snow on top and let that glorious Colorado sun melt the top and refreeze for a perfect surface.
Overall our first winter season was a great success and we had more outdoor fun than we could have imagined. The laughs and learnings of deciding to set up an outdoor rink made the effort all worth it. The pictures may capture the beauty of our setup, but the fun was so much better. Our family is looking forward to next season and becoming even greater skaters!
