Hockey Dad Builds “Rink Of Dreams” In Arnold

The product of combining an ingenious hockey-fanatic dad with Olympic-sized dreams and an epic snow and ice storm can be found not in Milano Cortina, Italy, but in the quiet but close neighborhood of Ulmstead Cove in Arnold.

Former Severna Park High School hockey player Justin Ruff began dreaming about the upcoming Olympics last fall and contemplated how he could bring the thrill of skating to his three daughters, ages 2 to 6. After watching online how-to videos, experiencing a little trial and error, and receiving a deep freeze in the area, Ruff built a backyard ice rink just before the January 25 snowstorm that provided hours of skating fun for his neighborhood.

Ruff, who works in roofing, said he got the idea from social media last fall and thought it didn’t look too difficult.

“He started sending me YouTube videos of ice rinks, but they were all from South Dakota and Canada,” said Christine Ruff, Justin’s wife. “I told him there was no way he could make that work in Arnold, Maryland. He said, ‘Oh, I can make that work!’”

She added that she “knew he was up to something” when ice skates appeared under the Christmas tree by surprise.

The first steps for Ruff were framing the rink with 2-by-6-inch lumber, using building insulation to help level the ground, and utilizing roofing materials to make it waterproof. The construction took only a day, but the filling of water and waiting for ice to form took much longer.

Ruff said he tried to fill the rink between Christmas and New Year’s but didn’t get the cold weather that was needed. With extreme cold predicted for late January, the timing was finally perfect.

“The water needs to go in layers in order for it to solidly freeze,” he explained, also noting that the standing water really showed how unlevel his backyard is. He would add an inch or so of water to his rink and wait for it to freeze. He repeated this process until the rink was 4 to 6 inches thick.

Ruff also created a “Zamboni” out of PVC pipe. After a day of skating, he uses his contraption to flood the rink at night, ensuring a smooth new surface for the kids the next day.

“The maintenance is a little more than I expected!” he joked, but seeing his kids skating makes all the effort worth the time. The Ruffs also added seating and a firepit for the parents.

Lauren Kilcoyne, a neighbor and parent of four kids who have enjoyed the ice, including twin 7-year-old boys, said her children love the rink. “They are new to ice skating, but they are having fun and getting right back up after they fall,” Kilcoyne said. “We live in an incredible neighborhood, and we really appreciate all the fun (the Ruffs) bring to our kids.”

Ten-year-old Louise Britton said she loves skating all day and couldn’t be happier having a week off from school. “All of my friends are here!” she exclaimed. “The last time I skated, it was on a lake. My skates were too big, and it didn’t go very well. But this time, it’s a lot of fun.”

Ruff is already planning improvements to his 18-by-30-foot ice rink for next winter, including adding hockey boards around the outside, painting lines and adding lights. For now, however, he’s excited to watch Team USA in the Olympics with his daughters.