Despite following COVID-19 guidelines, the Boss Ice Arena will be closed in compliance with the state executive order. Photo by Siobhan Richards.
Due to a surge in COVID-19 cases across Rhode Island, all ice rinks in the state have been required to close for at least six days, according to last week’s executive order from Gov. Gina Raimondo.
This closure includes the University of Rhode Island’s Boss Ice Arena. The facility has been shut down since Nov. 2, and will remain closed through at least Nov. 8.
According to Jon Hendricks, the ice rink’s manager, prior to its closure, the arena had been operational and open to the public in accordance with health guidelines. Public skating had not been available, but Hendricks said the arena was still allowing “private contracted groups” to use the ice. In addition, some student skating opportunities have been offered throughout the semester.
“We are still having some kind of events throughout the week,” said Hendricks.
Those who have been able to skate had to adjust to some new changes this fall. Hendricks said everyone using the ice must be dressed upon arrival, besides skates and helmets, and each group must exit within ten minutes in order to let the next group enter. During this time, the arena is extensively sprayed and cleaned between groups.
“In that window, we have electrostatic sprayers,” Hendricks added. “We pretty much go through the entire facility; spray down chairs, anywhere guys have been, right up through everything.”
One of the groups that has been most affected by all of these changes has been the University’s men’s hockey team. As with all club sports, no games have been held and the team has had to split into smaller groups for practice.
“We’re split up into two main groups,” said team captain Dan Desilva. “One group will practice Monday, Wednesday, the other one will go Tuesday, Thursday.”
Desilva also added that the group that is not practicing on the ice takes part in separate team workouts to stay active.
The team’s access to the arena has also been far more limited this season than in years past. Desilva said the locker room and gym have been completely off-limits, and ice time is much shorter and more structured than before.
“We’re usually allowed to go into the rink any time of the day,” Desilva explained. “Now it’s like, we’re on the ice at 4:30 and we’re not allowed inside the rink until 4:25.”
With Boss closed for the immediate future, the team will have to adjust its routine once again. Practice time spent on the ice will be replaced by exercise and team workouts for the time being.
“We’re just going to be working out near the rink in small groups to adhere with all the guidelines that came out,” Desilva said.
For now, the team is simply trying to stay safe and active as best as they can. While it remains unclear when the team will be able to play in full again, they are making sure they are doing their part to limit the spread of the virus and keep the rest of the hockey community safe.