The build for this year’s EDF Energy Ice Rink begins at 5pm on Saturday 21 October when heras fencing and scaffolders will arrive at The Forum to start assembling the base for the popular outdoor ice rink. More than a dozen different Norfolk companies will work together over the next three weeks to ensure the successful delivery of the ice rink. Changes and improvements for this year include transparent batter boards around the edge of the rink for a better view of the rink from all angles, a different shaped marquee and additional lighting.

 

The ice rink itself is an impressive feat of technical engineering. Approximately 3600m of thin tubes containing glycol antifreeze fluid are laid on a flat, level surface, created by more than 2000 scaffolding poles held together with approximately 1000 fixings, upon which are laid 500 scaffolding boards. This structure weighs in excess of 60 tonnes. An impenetrable waterproof membrane will be laid on top of this construction to ensure a watertight seal for the ice rink and to protect the Amphitheatre underneath. The 2.2 miles of tubes are carefully laid out on top of this surface. Finally, 23,000 litres of water is sprayed, layer by layer, on top of these pipes which slowly freeze the water and create the ice skating arena.  

The EDF Energy Ice Rink will open at 10am on Saturday 11 November. This is the fourth successive year that the popular rink will be installed in front of The Forum forming the focal point for Norwich’s Christmas activities. More than 100,000 skaters have got their skates on at the stunning 432m² outdoor ice rink over the past three years.