Alternative Rinks: Everything you've ever wanted to know (a very long post with pictures).

Greetings SSHers,

As you've heard, Adams Elementary is adding yet another portable.  Plus they have removed a fence and are enlarging the fenced area, which therefore will remove one of our sidelines.  It appears the portable will line up with the existing two (see spraypaint photo) and will not remain in it's current place.  Here's what it looks like as of 6/25:

I'm going to go over some alternative sites for the groups consideration.

For frame of reference: 

NHL rink : 200' x 85'

Bainbridge rink: a bit smaller (not sure exact size)

Tennis court: 120' x 60'

Greenwood Elementary (our previous site): 117' x 55-60'

Adams Elementary:

       a. old rink, fence to fence: 186' x 75-80'

       b. old rink, crease to crease: 106' x 75-80' (we wasted a lot of space behind the nets)

Here's a summary of available rinks:

Adams Elementary

Our current rink.  With the new portable building my assessment is:

Pro: we wouldn't lose too much distance length wise, as we could just reposition the nets to maintain our current crease to crease distance

Cons: there will be a portable classroom right behind a goal.  This means damaged siding and broken windows.  Plus, they are removing the fence in the southeast corner (see pic), so even more holes and runaway balls.

Assessment: still usable if we move both goals towards 62nd street, though it is now a much less attractive rink.

Webster Park (Nordic Heritage Museum) map

dimensions: 146' x 93'

Description: a good sized rink that is relatively flat.  It is fenced on one long side and one goal end.  However, where it is not fenced is adjacent to a playground (long side) and to parked cars (goal end).  There are two basketball poles in play and two big water drains that dip down a fair bit.  There is no other paved place to play besides the rink, and I get the impression this is a fairly well used play area.  Ample parking in lot or street.  

Pros: flat; close to where we already play; good size for 5 on 5; comes with a Honeybucket in SW corner

Cons: long open side adjacent to playground; one goal end with no fence and parked cars very close to goal; basketball poles along sideline but in play; hockey rink encompasses entire paved area, so kids couldn't bike etc.

Assessment: too close to kids and parked cars, as well as we'd be taking over the entire paved playground.  one goal end and one long side with no fencing at all.  Overall not a good option.

Cowen Park (Ravenna Park) map

dimensions: 150' x 120'

Summary: very large triple tennis court that is completely decommissioned.  It is tucked away in Ravenna Park.  The surface is in relatively good condition.  The south edge (right side of the last picture) is right under tree cover, so it is very shady and will be very wet and mossy (and therefore slippery) in the fall/winter/spring.  The ideal way to play would be going the long (150') way with a goal at each end.  That would give us the most running room and one long side fenced (it's actually too wide to use both side fences, as given my concerns about moss above, I'd suggest making a human wall as we do now well in from the mossy area).  However, both goal ends have a 70' gap in fencing.  And the rink is on a hill in a ravine.  So when the ball goes out, it's probably lost forever.  Setting up our own portable backstop would be very problematic.

Pro: completely unused; great size; relatively good condition

Con: no goal end fencing with no easy fix (outside of getting city involve and building a fence); not very easy access; parking not great; homeless people live here

Assessment:  if we want to get the city involved, this is the place to build a "permanent" rink.  Otherwise it will be difficult to create a set up that we can take down each week to keep the balls in play.

Applied Scholastics Academy (2 possible rinks) map

#1 back rink

#2 basketball court rink

The former Laurel Academy on Ravenna Boulevard has been leased out to the Applies Scholastics Academy.  Who is the Applied Scholastics Academy you ask?  From their website: "...it is dedicated to the broad implementation of learning tools researched and developed by American author and educator L. Ron Hubbard."  So it's some kind of Scientology training center.  So who owns the rinks?  The city of Seattle?  The Scientologists?  Don't know.  Moving on...

Back Rink dimensions: 155' x 70'

Basketball rink dimensions: 108' x 120'

Summary: there is a lot of asphalt here.  

1.) the back rink is long and a bit narrow.  There is a tree in one corner.  The surface is just ok, but can be cleaned up a bit.  For all intents and purposes, it is fenced on all 4 sides.  long enough for 5 on 5.

2.) the basketball courts are caged.  fences on all 4 sides, or should I say boards on all 4 sides.  The basketball poles are in the area of play (and not in good spots at that), but at least they are already padded.  the surface is the best of any of the above rinks mentioned.

Parking for both is ridiculously ample (there's 50+spots under I-5).

Pros: both are fenced all the way around.  parking is great.  Teddy's on Roosevelt is walking distance and they have the NHL ticket.

Cons: larger back court needs a bit of surface work.  Basketball court is smaller than we're used to and poles are in the way.  Will the Scientologists even let us use this?!?

Assessment: best option as far as readiness.  We can basically show up and start playing.  

Salmon Bay Elementary  map

dimensions: 200' x 80'

Summary: This place is damn near regulation size!  3 sides are enclosed, with not just fence, but a varying height cement wall, so it will actually serve as true boards.  The surface is smooth, but not very flat.  It rolls (click on second pic and notice wall height in middle compared to ends).  Like if you ever stood on an NFL field, you realize it's not flat, it's crowned.  The unenclosed long side is adjacent to a large kids area, so not ideal.  If we play here, we are basically taking up all the paved area for kids biking (though there is a small paved area next to the playground).  Basketball courts are separate, so no interference there.  Salmon Bay is a Seattle public alternative school.

Pros: size is great.  cement wall boards on 3 sides.  near current location.  there is a hoarder on the corner who might let us store our nets there.

Cons: uneven (though smooth) playing surface.  very close to kids playing.

Assessment: this looks like a very good rink.  This also looks like a very nice school with top notch amenities (playground, basketball courts and turf field are all great) which leads me to believe there is a lot of parental involvement and money at this place, and that it is also highly used (at least in the nice weather months).  Alan and Benny's kids go there, so I'll defer to their opinion, but my guess is we wouldn't be taken to too kindly there.  Hopefully I'm wrong. 

There you go.  Check them out yourself.  Thoughts?