Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-03-16
SKATINGRINKS
ON TIE ROOF.
Like Roof Gardens. They Seem
Impossible at First and
Dangerous.
VALKY RE III.
The roof garden now looks pale and

The roof garden now looks pale and
wind-blown. But in its place there Is COM
ing something else quite as interesting as
the roof garden and fully as enjoyable.
This is the roof skating rink, and 1t is
planned so that it exists where the gar
den formerly was, just as the skating rink
of the back yard takes the place of aster
and mignonette.
For the roof garden the tin roof was
Slated over and made into secure floor.
For the skating rink this is removed and
the plain tin roof is left Should the tin
roof be more than ordinarily sloplng the
boards are left on it. But this makes
extra work for those who flood the roof.
The scheme IS this. according to a
man who prepares these roof-rinks: AT
the first frosty night several buckets OF
water are carried to the roof and poured
And by this time the roof has decided
coat of ice. This is increased by having
water poured on again the next night
and the following day. BY adding few
face is secured. 1t takes about three
days to prepare roof. And when once
done the ice seldom melts during the very
cold weather, as its exposed position
makes it very cold.
Rains, snow and very high winds act
upon the roof-rink just as they do upon
a lake. They roughen its surface. After
a storm it is necessary for the one who
takes care of the rink to go over it-as
they do in large skating lakes-with wat
ering pot filling up the cracks in the ice
great deal of work and repays the
skaters we'll.
When roof gardens were first started
in England by Lady Henry Somerset, and
in New York by Miss Georgia Cayvan,
they were ridiculed as being too danger
Gus for enjoyment and surely fatal to
many persons who would walk off acct
dentally. But several years of roof
gardening have failed to show the record
of a single accident; and it has come to
a pass now that tenents of fashionable
parts of the city ask the agents of large
apartment houses if there are roof gar
dens for use in the hot months. They in
sist upon them.
And it is just so with roof-skating
Kinks. When they were first invented
there were many expressions of disap-
prevail in the localities where they were
maintained, as being the possible scene of
accidents. But no accidents happened,
and this year there will be a great many
such Kinks.
OF course there must be a railing
around the roof. The one built for the
roof garden answers nicely; and where a
very fine rink is wanted there may be a
little ledge built around the roof to admit
of flooding it. The usefulness of the drain
pipes is not interfered with as there is
an ornament built around the opening or
a rustic chair left from summer is placed
over it. Chimneys and ornamental struc-
lures upon the roof are made the cosy
hooks where a cup of tea can be obtained
and where biscuit and thin sandwiches
are dispensed. Chinese lanterns shed light
upon dark nights and a fir tree or two
makes the scene very fairylike. If the
plans of certain young women living near
Central Park, New York city, are carried
out, New York from the house tops
will be as charming in winter as in sum
mer.