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Man laments lack of skaters at free ice rink he built

The Calgary man who created a giant outdoor rink on his property for free public skating says he's just missing one thing to make his winter scene complete — skaters.

Last month, we told you about how Norm Price transformed his property into a giant free public rink.

Price has spent a lot of time this winter in a full snowsuit and fur hat blowing the snow off his new rink.

“It is cold,” said Price.

“We've got great lighting in the evenings. We've got two hockey nets; we’ve got a place for you to warm up. We've got hot chocolate, hot dogs, all sorts of goodies. We've got nice clear ice. We just had it flooded a week ago.”

Now Price is just waiting — “I need skaters.”

Even his neighbour from up the road, Serge Arseneault, is wishing for some. One day on his way by Price’s rink, he spotted him struggling to clear the ice. Now he has started driving his BobCat over to Price’s on heavy snow days to help.

“I want some people to come in for skating right now," said Arseneault.

Price is counting on this holiday week to draw skaters. Today he's serving free hot chocolate.

“Bring your family down, bring your friends down, bring your neighbours down," he said.

Price's outdoor rink is just off McKnight Blvd. on 84th Street in the N.E.