A climate facility comprises one or more recreation areas with an ice or snow cover; a climate control system which keeps the facility at a temperature above freezing in a range such that a portion of the snow or ice melts on a predetermined cycle; a drainage system to collect the melt; and a recycle system to use the melt in the formation of new snow.

A climate facility comprises one or more recreation areas with an ice or snow cover; a climate control system which keeps the facility at a temperature above freezing in a range such that a portion of the snow or ice melts on a predetermined cycle; a drainage system to collect the melt; and a recycle system to use the melt in the formation of new snow.

A self-standing portable ice skating rink structure that does not penetrate the underlying surface and generally requires no tools or hardware for installation is provided. The ice skating rink structure includes a perimeter component and one or more tension members. The perimeter component can include one or more board holding members and/or one or more optionally interlocking side boards.

A self-standing portable ice skating rink structure that does not penetrate the underlying surface and generally requires no tools or hardware for installation is provided. The ice skating rink structure includes a perimeter component and one or more tension members. The perimeter component can include one or more board holding members and/or one or more optionally interlocking side boards.

Rate of deceleration is an important factor in determining the severity of injuries, such as head and neck injuries, possibly sustained when participants collide with a wall assembly while playing, for example, ice hockey. The described wall assemblies each include a support assembly and a movable wall assembly supported by and movable with respect to the support assembly. Telescoping parts of the movable wall assembly enable deflection of the movable wall assembly to complex angles with respect to the support assembly. In addition, movable wall assemblies can be couple such that impact on one wall assembly can cause deflection of an adjacent wall assembly. Covers, shields, and spacers can be positioned to decrease gap formation during deflection of the movable wall assembly to reduce the risk of pinch points.

A movable dasher board system optimizes user safety in a hockey rink or similar arena. A bottom structure, provided by a sliding bottom surface or roller assembly, has low friction characteristics, typically a .sub.s of 0.05 or less with respect to ice if a sliding surface, or if roller bearings an effective coefficient of rolling friction 0.04 or less. A dasher board assembly is operatively connected to and extends upwardly from the bottom structure. Biasing and impact force absorbing devices (such as pneumatic or hydraulic or spring-encasing telescoping tubes, or foam, gel, or compression springs) bias the bottom structure and dasher board assembly to a desired position and absorb the impact of a human hitting the dasher board assembly to minimize the possibility of injury to the human. The system may be installed in a pre-existing rink or other arena.

A movable dasher board system optimizes user safety in a hockey rink or similar arena. A bottom structure, provided by a sliding bottom surface or roller assembly, has low friction characteristics, typically a .sub.s of 0.05 or less with respect to ice if a sliding surface, or if roller bearings an effective coefficient of rolling friction 0.04 or less. A dasher board assembly is operatively connected to and extends upwardly from the bottom structure. Biasing and impact force absorbing devices (such as pneumatic or hydraulic or spring-encasing telescoping tubes, or foam, gel, or compression springs) bias the bottom structure and dasher board assembly to a desired position and absorb the impact of a human hitting the dasher board assembly to minimize the possibility of injury to the human. The system may be installed in a pre-existing rink or other arena.

Described herein is a modular skate system that includes at least one modular skate component comprising a major surface, a core comprising a body formed from a first material, an outer layer formed from a second material, the outer layer surrounding at least a portion of the core, wherein the first material is different from the second material, and wherein the major surface comprises the outer layer.

Described herein is a modular skate system that includes at least one modular skate component comprising a major surface, a core comprising a body formed from a first material, an outer layer formed from a second material, the outer layer surrounding at least a portion of the core, wherein the first material is different from the second material, and wherein the major surface comprises the outer layer.

A modular barrier system enables demountable outdoor rinkstypically for ice hockey, or ice skating, or street hockey. A rink includes multiple panels, each having a factory-attached link. These panels are linearly disposed, adjacent to one another, to form a piecewise continuous boundary wall enclosing a desired area. Attaching one link to the next, typically via insertion of a thumbscrew, connects the panels into a robust assembly. Both straight and curved panels are provided, thereby enabling a rink with round corners. Each panel includes a shell molded from plastic resin, and has a hollow interior which can be filled with water (or other ballast).