Warm weather doesn't stop devoted hockey player

BELLEVILLE, Ont. (301/01/12) Kayleb Meyers, 5, takes a shot on net while skating on his family's backyard ice rink built by his father, Jeremiah Meyers. Their rink has been entered in this years Home Depot's backyard ice rink contest. Photo by Devaan Ingraham.

By Michelle Cochrane

This year’s warmer winter weather offered new challenges for one local backyard ice rink enthusiast.

Twenty-eight year-old Belleville resident Jeremiah Meyers struggled this winter to build his family’s outdoor ice rink and continues to fight a battle against Mother Nature to maintain the ice surface.

The Meyers family built their first outdoor rink three years ago and have invested approximately $1,000 in it. It features arena-like boards with local advertisements, a miniature fan stand for rink-side seating and outdoor lighting for late night games.

“This year was a big struggle, there were a couple times I wanted to give up just because the weather wasn’t promising,” explained Meyers.

Meyers started building his outdoor 50 by 50 foot ice rink this year over the Thanksgiving weekend but his family was not able to enjoy their first skate on the ice until the beginning of January.

“Last year, I had it from November until March break. If I get three more weeks out of it this year, I’ll be happy,” said Meyers.

Meyers described having a backyard rink as similar to having a second job with the demanding hours.

“I’ll come out every hour and a half in the middle of the night just to water it because it’s been such a struggle. Every time it was cold, you had to be out here or you’re not going to have a rink,” said Meyers.

The family entered their rink in the Belleville Home Depot backyard rink contest last year, placing third overall.

According to Home Depot backyard rink contest organizer, Dianne De-Jong, this year is remarkably lower in entry numbers than the previous three years and said she believes the warmer winter climate is to blame.

“Last year, it really took off, it just blew out of proportion. It went national, which is really cool for Belleville,” said De-Jong.

The contest had a total of 13 entries from the Quinte area last year. This year was up to 17 entries at the beginning of December but due to the poor weather, there are only four confirmed entries that have submitted pictures of their backyard rinks after last Sunday’s final deadline.

“Everyone has been so upset because they had their layouts, their boards and ideas of what they wanted to do but in December they couldn’t even get rinks flooded because it wouldn’t freeze part of January,” explained De-Jong. “In this area, hockey is Belleville and these families take their hockey and their rinks very seriously.”

Despite all the setbacks, the Meyers’ family is hoping their hard work and persistence will have paid off and is aiming for first place in the Home Depot back yard rink contest this year.

Winners of the contest will be announced Feb. 17 at the Home Depot night at the Belleville Bulls home game at the Yardmen Arena.