Optimism on Ice
My first experience of wearing skates was not all that rewarding. Naturally, I had misgivings that things were not as simple as they seemed. I suspected it would take time to master the loops and curves, a feat of great skill and daring, but I still had the faintest of hopes that things would work out and I would be one of those lucky few who not only manage to keep their balance, but also slide with equal ease on the icy surface of the skating rink, rating second glances from the passing skaters. The sober reality came crashing to me when, skating fearfully near the boards and having taken quite a few falls on the backside in the first weeks of practice, I was about to give up hockey once and for all. However, before long everything had fallen into place, as I built up the required speed and mastered basic skills.
This autobiographical account is a graphic illustration of the relationship between man and ice. Regrettably, it is more the rule than the exception for a proposal to go ice skating to meet a bashful ‘I don’t want to look ridiculous.’ On the New Year’s Eve, I ventured out to the skating rink in the Atek sports complex. Tellingly, the majority of skaters were amateurs, which did not seem to bother them in the least. The main thing is to stay put when you see a hardened skater on a collision course. Not to worry, he will find his way around you. After all, should you find these playful youths bothersome, you can report the wrongdoers to one of the security guards. They will be immediately told off or banned from the skating rink altogether. As The Day learned from Dmytro Smeliansky, administrator of the Atek ice stadium, most skating enthusiasts come here during the weekend. On such days the place is packed full.
In market times, the ever-growing numbers of enthusiasts of active recreation have caused an upsurge in the public catering sphere. By way of example, in the Atek sports complex you can easily have a cup of coffee or tea on a bench near the rink boards. The cost is included in the ticket price, which is quite affordable at UAH 10 and 8 an hour on weekends and workdays, respectively. It costs about the same amount to rent a pair of skates. However, hardened skating enthusiasts prefer to have their own skates. They are more comfortable and you do not have to pay each time for using them. Cash deposits for skates are preferred. At one time, cell phones could be pledged, but this practice soon proved costly, as unscrupulous clients would pledge toy cell phones never to collect them. However, skates are never in short supply as their stock is replenished each year. Incidentally, if you think the blades are not sharp enough you can have them sharpened on the spot for UAH 5. There is one more important detail. Skating on a crowded rink entails a risk of injury. Starting this year, the sports complex management introduces insurance against accidents. The amount of compensation depends on the ticket price. The maximum compensation is roughly UAH 1,000, which will be paid in the worst-case scenario, namely an accident resulting in death or crippling. Thankfully, accidents of this kind never happen, as security guards are maintaining safety and order on the ice.
A sizeable television screen with loudspeakers broadcasting music channels adds to the festive spirit of the complex. Many skate to their favorite music hits and refresh themselves with a cup of tea during commercials. By the way, whole families come to the sports complex, with skaters ageing anything from three to forty or fifty. Of course, the majority of them are young people.
Incidentally, UAH 10 is not the minimum price to pay at skating venues. For instance, at the Ice Palace, a sports complex in Demiyivka, you will have to pay a mere UAH 5 for two hours plus the rental fee for a pair of skates. If you have your own skates, though, you can skate a lot longer, provided the management of the open-air stadium is well-disposed. The downside is that here ice quality depends on weather conditions. The lower the temperature, the better. At temperatures above zero, ice becomes very soft and heavy. As usual, everything boils down to financial problems. The refrigerating mechanism has been out of order for over fifteen years. Whether the problems of Kyiv’s biggest open-air ice stadium will be ever addressed is anyone’s guess. Too bad. After all, with adequate funding and advertising the Ice Palace could become Kyivans’ favorite recreation spot in the wintertime.
