Elementary student builds rink in schoolyard, one milk jug at a time

At 10 years old, he's already an experienced ice maker.

Collicutt School student Adysen Baird loves skating so much, he made his own rink in his school's yard. Every recess for two months, Baird hauled heavy milk jugs filled with water back and forth to flood the rink.

"We took out four-litre milk jugs [full of water] and kept pouring them," he said. "Mr. Brian, the custodian, he really helped us with the water and stuff."

Adysen estimates he hauled more than 20 milk jugs each day, with the help of a sled. His friend and classmate Matthew Kemerle helped him make the rink.

"Both of us pulled out sleds of milk jugs and kept pouring them until they were all gone," Matthew said. "I thought it would be cool to have a hockey rink and skate here with Adysen."

Collicutt School staff were on hand to guide Adysen, including educational assistant Dennis Mark.

"I've built a few rinks over the years with my family,  so I had a little bit of knowledge," said Mark. "The kids brought in jugs, filled them up and brought them into the field. Basically, the kids have done the entire building process."

Making the rink — which measures about 10 metres by 4½ metres and is about eight centimetres thick — didn't come without challenges.

"I had to have a lot of patience because there was a lot of holes when we first started. It was getting frustrating," said Adysen. "So we took a little breather and kept working on it with Mr. Mark's advice, and it worked out pretty well."

Shovelling the snow off the rink is an important part of the upkeep, said Adysen.

"It's really important because if we flood it with the snow on, it'll stick and won't be good," he said.

Once the snow is cleaned off, Adysen empties the water-filled jugs onto the rink. He said flooding helps to build layers of ice and fill in cracks from skating.

Adysen filled the jugs in Collicutt School's custodian closet.

"The first time we filled them in the bathroom it didn't work out so well," Adysen said.

Baird's teacher Dana Brown couldn't be more proud of him.

"He started with one milk jug; his determination was really unbelievable," said Brown. "I couldn't believe how long he kept going; three times a day he would flood that rink and go back and forth."

Brown said Adysen was determined to finish the rink, no matter how long it took.

"He just stuck to his guns and worked really hard. It shows guts and strength," she said. "It's the most amazing Canadian kid story ever."