The Jaap Eden Ice Rink opened again today for the first skating day of the season. The track has been closed for months due to a major renovation of the uncovered outdoor track. The entire 400-meter track has been replaced and provided with a new layer of ice. The work on the ice rink is not yet completely finished: the ice rink with the indoor rink will be replaced next year.
The fact that skating enthusiasts missed the ice rink in Amsterdam East was evident from the crowds and happy people on the ice today. “I think the ice is great and what they have put down here is really great. With that wind and that rain yesterday.”
According to the skaters, the renovation was quite necessary. “I’ve been driving around here for a long time, I can tell you, the previous renovation was in 1989 and that was quite a while ago,” laughs a skater. “This is amazing.”
Renovation
Director of the Jaap Eden Ice Rink, Joris Wouters, took AT5 onto the ice today and talked about the renovated rink. “What is new is that we have replaced the entire cooling floor, which means we can now make better and more efficient ice for the next fifty years.”
The Jaap Eden Ice Rink had been planning to renovate the 400-meter rink for years. The approach: sustainability. The new cooling system installed during the renovation ensures that the ice quality can be controlled more efficiently and energy-efficiently. A new technology building has also been constructed.