Mei Ling
Active member
Ice rink operators had to manually shovel and scrape the ice surface to remove snow and imperfections. They used hand tools like shovels, ice scrapers, and chisels. 
After scraping, operators would flood the ice with water to fill in scratches and create a smooth surface.
The process would take 30 minutes or more, depending on the size of the rink. Due to this, people only had limited time for skating sessions and games. 
After scraping, operators would flood the ice with water to fill in scratches and create a smooth surface.
The process would take 30 minutes or more, depending on the size of the rink. Due to this, people only had limited time for skating sessions and games. 
Manual shoveling and scraping must have been quite the workout for operators. The flooding process sounds like it could be both time-consuming and satisfying, turning those imperfections into a smooth surface. It's no wonder skating sessions were limited—keeping the ice in top shape took real dedication! 