Building Future Ice

Editor: Randy Cousins
Date: 2026-10-01

As Forest Curling Club begins a new era, the installation of our ice marks another exciting milestone in the journey toward a new curling season.

After months of hard work, commitment, and dedication from our tremendous business partners, project team, sponsors, donors, contractors, and Oxford Energy Solutions, we are pleased to announce the next chapter in our ongoing effort to enhance the curling experience for the Lambton Shores community.

The new ice plant is online—and flooding has begun!

Creating a new curling surface is a delicate and highly controlled process, and we are thrilled to report that we are off to a tremendous start.

A Remarkable Improvement in Cooling Performance
One of the most significant improvements with our new ice plant has already become evident.

In previous years, it could take approximately 24 to 48 hours to bring the concrete slab down to the required temperature before flooding could begin. This year, thanks to the performance and precision of our new refrigeration system, that process was reduced to just eight hours from the time the plant was brought online to the beginning of flooding.

That is a remarkable improvement.

Our ice technician, Graeme Robson, has now begun the careful process of building the ice, layer by layer. The initial base layer has been applied, and the ice surface has been painted a brilliant white.

Precision Is Everything
Building a curling surface is much more than simply putting water on the floor.

Each layer must be carefully managed. Flooding too quickly can affect the quality of the paint and cause unwanted reactions. Cooling the slab too rapidly, or allowing frost to develop, can also compromise the base paint layer.

This is where the precision of our new ice plant really makes a difference.

The system allows Graeme to make extremely fine adjustments to slab temperatures—down to a tenth of a degree—providing an unprecedented level of control throughout the ice-making process.

Layer by layer, the ice surface will continue to develop until we achieve the consistent, carefully prepared playing surface our members expect.

Intelligent Monitoring Through SENSORI®
Our new ice plant is managed through the SENSORI® control platform, giving our ice team the ability to monitor virtually every facet of the refrigeration system.

The system can be monitored both locally and remotely, providing real-time information and allowing adjustments to be made as conditions change.

The new plant also incorporates multiple levels of redundancy. Several compressors can operate independently and come online as required, helping distribute the refrigeration demand and providing additional system resilience.

Learning From the Ice
One of the exciting capabilities of the new system is its ability to record and analyze historical operating data.

Graeme can now examine how the ice surface responds to different variables and conditions throughout the season. This includes factors such as:

• The number of curlers on the ice
• Building occupancy
• Indoor air temperature
• Humidity levels
• Refrigerant flow rates
• Slab and ice temperatures
• Conditions within the closed-loop glycol system
• Temperature readings from sensors located throughout the refrigeration system
• Strategically positioned sensors beneath the ice and throughout the refrigeration system provide a continuous stream of information. This allows our ice team to better understand how the surface responds to changing conditions and make subtle adjustments when necessary.

A New Level of Control
What we are seeing already is a significant evolution in how our ice can be managed.

Rather than simply reacting to changing conditions, our new system provides the information and precision needed to anticipate them, make micro-adjustments, and maintain a more consistent environment for our ice.

For our members, the goal is simple: better ice, greater consistency, improved efficiency, and a better curling experience.

The Final Touches
Once the base layer has been established and the ice has reached the required condition, the next phase of preparation begins. The ice surface is carefully laid out and marked, with the house rings, hog lines, advertising, and other markings and textiles added to complete the curling surface.

Each step brings us closer to the moment we have all been waiting for. The final preparation ensures the ice is ready for the demands of a full curling season and provides our members with a clean, consistent, and professional playing surface.

And then, after months of planning, construction, testing, and preparation, there is only one thing left to do:

Bring in the curlers and get the season underway!

The ice is ready. The plant is running. The hard work has paid off.

The ice is going down, one layer at a time—and we couldn't be more excited to see this new chapter taking shape.
Recap our journey!