Our outdoor rink is called Breeze Place. This is also the name of our cul-de-sac and a good description of our weather. The rink was built for my children and local area kids to skate and play hockey. We welcome all our friends on the rink and into our home; our dining room is now a dressing room and we love it.

No matter what the weather, cold or windy, people come out and enjoy the ice.

I think the rink is an example of how things are done in Newfoundland and the rest of Canada. Building a rink is a lot of hard work and cannot be done alone. I knew I could rely on my friends and neighbors to help.

For example, we needed a snow blower, so my neighbors Brian and Gerry split the cost; one snow blower, done. Earl found our palates, Val gave us a few pounds of nails and Gerry loaned his truck. We are thankful for our wives who entertained the kids while the boys played “construction” (Ann-Marie, Lisa and Heather). The rink provides a sense of community with everyone chipping in, flooding the ice (Kevin), donating materials (Roger) and bringing treats (Paul, Rick and Warren).

I am a proud Canadian so there’s a loonie at centre ice and the flag flutters in the breeze. The Canadian flag demonstrates two things: which way the wind is blowing, and most importantly, that this rink is who we are and what we do as Canadians.

Patrick Wells
Conception Bay South, Nfld.