How to Rent a Hockey Rink

Hockey is a popular and quickly growing sport. Ice rinks are commonly available for rent, and offer an opportunity for teams and friends to play and practice any time of the year. Consider the following points to avoid any surprises when you arrive on the ice.

Instructions

    • 1

      Prepare to rent a hockey rink at an unusual time. Most hockey rinks need to accommodate local midget, high school and adult league games, as well as skating lessons offered through the local parks and recreation department. Often the best time to rent the ice is after 9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or weekdays from early in the morning until early afternoon.

    • 2

      Expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $300 or so per hour, depending on the rink, availability and purpose of the ice rental. Some hockey rink will charge less during the earlier part of the day for hockey practice rental, but more in the evening for an adult league hockey game later in the evening.

    • 3

      Rent a hockey rink sized correctly for your league. An official size hockey rink is 85 feet wide by 200 feet long with a radius of 28 feet for the rounded corners at the end. Other rinks may vary in size, so know the exact dimension you need and what the rink offers before you pay for it.

    • 4

      Determine if you need officially sized boards around the rink for your hockey game. The boards need to be 40 to 48 inches above the ice surface, painted white except for authorized league advertising along the boards. They should have a yellow kickplate around the encompassing the boards.

    • 5

      Verify that the layout of the hockey rink meets official regulations for your league. Check that the goal crease, division of the ice surface, the center ice spots and face-off spots in the neutral and end zones meet your league requirements.

    • 6

      Ask if the fee includes ice cleaning before your scheduled rental time or if this costs extra. Find out what your and the rink's liabilities are if someone gets hurt while on the ice. Read over any rental contract agreement carefully to determine what all your responsibilities are and what exactly is included in the rental.

    • 7

      Find a hockey rink to meet your needs by visiting ArenaMaps. You can enter your city and state to generate a list of local rinks that you can call to get on the ice.