A Few E-mails from the Industry

After Accent Refrigeration upgraded my ice plant my power bills dropped by over $8000 and my ice temperature does not vary more than 1/2 a degree ever. The difference in ice quality is phenomenal.

Lorne Antonsen
Manager of Facilities Juan De Fuca Rec. Center
Victoria, BC

Accent Refrigeration Systems did an excellent job. Their staff were professional and maintained very high standards. Their work was of the highest quality and was completed on time. I can give Accent Refrigeration Systems my highest recommendation.

Donald D. Thorn
Coliseum Director
Ector County Coliseum
Odessa, Texas

The project is going well & it looks like in a couple of weeks we should be in a position to get a permit so we can open for the first few rental slots that we have booked. I have been hounding all of the subs and even our own men to make sure that they all get done on time. I'm not a very popular guy right at the moment.

On the other hand, your crew came prepared to do the job and is moving along nicely. Each man has a job and seems to know exactly what to do. This is what I expected from Accent after your sales pitch. Hell, unlike some of the subs your guys even have a truck full of tools!!!!

Thanks,
Andrew Berenato
Vineland Ice Arena

My name is Russ Cagnoni. I'm the Ice Arena Manager at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center in Santa Fe, NM. I've recently been forwarded your tips of the month by one of my colleagues and found them to be very interesting. I look forward to the newsletter each month and would like it if you could put me on your direct email list. I very much enjoy learning more about the ice arena business. I grew up playing hockey and I've worked in an ice arena for the past 18 years but only the past 5 years as a manager. I completed my CIT with ORFA and am always searching out avenues for information. Thanks for all of the great information.

Russ Cagnoni
Sante Fe, New Mexico

I was just visiting the Ice Works Arena and saw one of your operators training manuals there. That is an excellent publication. I had a ton of questions regarding ice rinks and your book answered all of them. I would like to order two copies for our office.

Barry Barne
Honeywell Corp Philadelphia PA

I have read two of the three publications I received from your company this week: Full House and Recreation facility developer's handbook.

I like them a lot! They contain good solid information

May I have permission to photocopy a limited number of pages (particularly the charts on costs and markup, etc) to share with my Board of Directors and a planning group we have convened?

Bill Allan
Boston, Massachusetts

I absolutely enjoy receiving your emails ~ they are always full of great tips. I noticed this one includes a "Help Wanted" paragraph.....we are looking to fill a couple positions here - Experience Skate Technician and also a Operations (Night) Supervisor - would it be possible to include something in your next email?

Thank you. Let me know!

Brenda McCreary
Office Manager
Aerodrome/Willowbrook Ice Skating Complex Houston, TX

Thanks for mentioning speed skating in your Tip of the Month. US Speed skating (www.usspeedskating.org) would love to help your client rinks start short track ice speed skating clubs in order to help them diversify their activities and bring more skaters to their facilities.

Our sport has many enthusiastic "laborers" who are willing to do the leg work to start new speed skating clubs! :)

I always enjoy reading your Facility Managers' Tips, even though I don't manage a facility. Tell me if I can provide you with information or contacts.

Sincerely,
Bruce Guthrie
Co-Founder, Coach, President The Whatcom Speed Skating Club Bellingham, WA

Your last newsletter held exactly the information we have been searching for. Please send me the info you have on Blood Born Pathogens. I am studying to take a Program Director rating with the Professional Skaters Association, and I know there are questions on the exam about cleaning up and disposing of these waste products. I really appreciate this, and enjoy reading your tips.

Thanks,
Carla Hackley
IceWorld Skating Director

Dear Art,

Could I get permission to use some of your information from the many books I purchased from you, in my business plan? This information has been most helpful. I am interested in using your easy to understand literature regarding mechanics and ice making as well as some of the history of... Do you know where and when the first artificial rink was built in the US?

I am impressed with your company and its dedication, and would like to get some estimates on rink equipment and installation for a twin rink, possibly 8,000 seat arena plus twin rink in N. California. This rink will be part of a 400 acre "World Class" training facility, so I need Perfect Ice! At this time I am more interested in finding the company I want to work with rather than bidding the job out.

Thank you!
Denver, Colorado

I have really enjoyed reading the articles on your web site. I am interested in building an arena in my town, and your information is very helpful.

I am a person that likes a lot of personal and special attention as far as customer service. So far you blow your competitors away. I would like to get as much info as possible to make the right decision for me. Any help I get not only sways my decision on plans, but with whom those plans include! You can e-mail me at goalieman911@yahoo.com or my mailing address is as follows.

Eric Schein
Springdale, Arizona

Art,

My wife, Megan Sullivan, met you at the Lets Play Hockey Expo in Las Vegas last January. We just received the copy of your Recreational Ice Facility Operators Manual, what a great reference! Thank you so much. Once things get under way we look forward to talking to you about refrigeration systems.

Thank you again,
Dennis Sullivan
Teton Valley Arena
Driggs, ID

Dear Art,

Thanks for your regular flow of e-mails. They are very interesting and their content would be of interest to a good number of ice rinks here in Scotland, and as a result, I'm interested in reproducing them on my 'Scottish Curling' website (www.scotcurl.co.uk) -- if you're agreeable.

Please let me know.
Frank Tocher.
Ayrshire Scotland

Art,

"It's not the BIG that eat the SMALL...it's the FAST that eat the SLOW".

I will continue to thank and commend you for your expertise, common vision and good humor during the brief time we've known each other. I am thrilled to have you as such a key member of my team.

I was truly in awe of your talent and the cohesiveness and vitality of the assembled team during the two days of meetings you participated in. You were present during what became perhaps the most pivotal moments of the entire project -- and may I say you were the major factor and contributor that made our project a reality.

Thanks again, Art. I only anticipate great days to come, especially working with people like you.

See you soon.
Greg Meakin
Bremerton Ice Arena
Bremerton, Washington

I just to write to let you know that you're e-mail Tips of the Month are greatly appreciated! The City of Topeka is gearing up to write the new Parks & Recreation component of our new Comprehensive City Plan. An ice rink will be a feature element of the new plan. We will be purchasing some of your publications very soon. Thanks and keep the tips coming!

Tim Paris
Topeka, Kansas

Hello Art,

Keep up the good work.

Please send me a copy of your full house manual. I have seen it and it holds some great ideas for bringing more patrons into our facility.

Justin M Fidler
R. R. # 3

Tara, Ontario

Wishing you a belated Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. Just wanted to add a note of thanks for the Tip of the Month. My staff always look forward to and enjoy the informative newsletter. Believe it or not we are freezing here in Alabama! It is snowing now and we are expecting one inch plus. No big thing but nice to have this time of year.

Best wishes for a great New Year.
Jay Good
Huntsville, Alabama

Hello Art,

In regards to your follow up my project was completed. The information I obtained from you in the first email was very helpful. It gave me a lot to think about and consider in designing my paper. The paper came out a success.

Also I thank you for your expedience in responding to me in the first place. Many other companies I contacted took weeks to respond, if they did at all. You and your company assisted me within hours. I appreciate that very much. You really seem to be customer service based and I understand how important that can be.

Thank you very much for your assistance. I might continue on the project in the near future. If I do, your company will be one of the first places I go.

Thank you for your help

Jeremy Cook
Rio Rancho New Mexico

I do also look forward to your facility managers tip of the month(I receive them at my other email address, Remember your article about turkey curling last year? I suggested that to our club and they actually did do it. This prompted suggesting to the folks hosting the North American Short Track Championships last year in Wisconsin to challenge our neighbors to the north in a genuine Wisconsin cheese curling competition between an American team and a Canadian team during the lunch break of speed skating races. . (We even considered using frozen blocks of Wisconsin bratwurst for some brat curling!) Sadly, but to no surprise, the Canadians beat us and walked off with cheesehead hats as the grand prize.

Keep those great ideas flowing!

And thanks for adding the info re speed skating
Karen May.

Dear Art,

Your wonderful "Full House" manual just arrived in the mail! I appreciate your sending it to me. I have been reading it over and can't wait to sit down with a cup of coffee over the next few days and read it cover to cover! We are always looking for new ideas here to keep our arena hopping! Thanks again for the great information.

Kathy Knauer
Leddy Park Arena Burlington, Vermont

Hello,

Thank you for the recent Tip of The Month I'll be looking for more:) The lectures that you gave to our ISI group in September were wonderful, I really learned a lot and I appreciate your organization, time, and effort.

Sincerely,
Kimberly L.
Wolf-Solheim Highland Park, Illinois

Art,

Congratulations. I just love your tip of the month e-mails! Now that is the most useful information I have ever seen on any e-commerce list serve. It sure gives an idea about how times are changing.

Lorraine Browne
Victoria, BC

I really enjoy reading your e-mail newsletters each month. They are so informative! I advise everyone at our office to look at them. Keep up the good work. See you at the next IAIM.

Mike Paikin
VSC Sports Consultants
Sherman Oaks, California

Art,

This is Pat from Univ. of Note Dame ice rink, I have been getting your monthly tips that you e-mail. Can I please continue to get these? They are most helpful, and always keep us aware of all responsibilities within our facility.

I also ordered your Refrigeration Manual for ice rinks and want to tell you that it has been most helpful, and I have actually only read a few chapters so far! I look forward to reading more of the manual in the future and creating a first class ice rink here.

Thanks for your help.
Pat Klaybor Ice rink CIT

Art,

As always, your site provides unlimited information that is beneficial to our rink in NJ.

Robert Stephens
Elizabeth, New Jersey

Thanks for the tip of the month. I think this is a great idea for you and your business. Keep them coming.

Your friend,
Terry Johnson
Manager of Janesville Ice Skating Center

Mr. Sutherland,

Thank you so much for your information. It was incredibly useful and could not have come at a more perfect time. If all goes well, I will be looking forward to doing business with you. Again thank you very much.

Sincerely,
Travis Baxter