Jody O'Brien's 2003/04 Backyard Rink - Howard's Corner of the Web

"It all began with passion for the game.

Derek, our friend and neighbor, and I had a vision...to build a backyard rink for our sons and neighborhood children to skate and play hockey close to home. Derek & I play on a team together, and our sons have both had hockey sticks since before they could walk.

Now our backyard boasts a 32’ x 20’ rink, featuring a 7’ “Hockey Night in Canada” Logo and Home Depot logos for face-off dots. They were hand painted on a day much too cold for the kids to skate. -38 with the wind-chill, a perfect day for painting. Complete with Home Depot and CBC banners (loaned from our local store and office), nets and lights, our rink is often visited by neighborhood children excited to lace up their skates and take a shot on goal.

On January 10, 2004, we had our version of HDIC. Derek’s son, Brayden, plays for the Simons Valley Stingrays, and we had them out for a game. Complete with a Kraft singles mascot (one of the hockey Dads), we had one Mats Sundin, one Jerome Iginla, one from team Sweden and three Ed Belfour’s. They all skated the ice to play out their dream. Once the kids were done for the day, “Guy Lafleur” and “Rick Tocchet” took centre ice for some “big kid” fun of our own.

With our passion for the game, we worked hard and made our rink into every hockey loving Canadian’s dream."

Beautiful rink guys. Thanks for the pic.