The student who made Loyola’s outdoor rink a reality

Krzysztof Kmiecik is the kind of leader that Andrew Woodall, Concordia’s dean of Students, describes as “under the radar.”

He does not hold a high-profile position in student government, nor is he regularly quoted in The Link and The Concordian.. But the Applied Human Sciences undergraduate developed a project that brought together university sectors and cut across departments: he spearheaded the construction of an outdoor rink on the Loyola Campus.

Kmiecik’s idea was simple. He wanted to play a bigger role at the university and bring something unique to his department. How better to do all of that, and rally the Concordia community, than through the ultimate celebration of a Montreal winter — a skating rink.

Starting the project wouldn’t be easy. Kmiecik had heard all sorts of stories about red tape, and he was aware of the many protocols in place. But he wrote a proposal and began meeting with departmental stakeholders.

“Before I had even met with him, Krzysztof had talked to Facilities, Recreation and Athletics, the insurance guy and so on. He knew what had to be done and who needed to give their okay,” Woodall says.

It was Patrick Boivin and Marvin Cooper from Recreation and Athletics who found a spot to build the rink: the end zone of the Stingers football field.

“Concordia faculty and staff members showed me that they are here to help us make things happen,” says Kmiecik. “Everyone told me they would help as long as I followed through.”

A team effort

Building a large outdoor skating rink is no easy endeavour. In addition to a very flat surface, it requires boards and, of course, a lot of ice.

Enter Facilities Management in the form of Gerry Barrette, the Loyola Campus property and operations manager. Barrette and the team at Loyola — Patrick Sullivan from Carpentry and Mike O’Hanley from Grounds — got the ball rolling.

In temperatures of -30 C, they cleared snow and built and installed boards before finally flooding the 60-by120-foot rink.

Kmiecik did some of the heavy lifting himself, too. “I knew we couldn’t move forward unless I was there, putting in the time,” he says. “We couldn’t flood the rink until the surface was flat. I knew the team from Facilities would be back the next morning, so I had to make sure the work was done before I went home at night.”

Rounding out the crew were Applied Human Science professors Robert Hopp and Steven Henle who lent a hand as well as their unwavering support and guidance throughout the process.

The Concordia Student Union (CSU), the Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) and the Applied Human Sciences Student Association were also integral in funding and developing to the project. Recreation and Athletics are helping with maintainance and daily operations.

ith the hard labour complete and an official opening planned for Friday, February 7, Barrette can reflect on the success of Kmiecik’s icy undertaking.

“This project really involved the community and the university,” says the property and operations manager. “It’s been great.”

The outdoor rink on the Loyola Campus (7141 Sherbrooke St. W.) is opening with a free-skate event on Friday, February 7 at 2:30 p.m. CJLO will provide music, and snacks will be served.

The rink’s operating hours will be determined by the number of volunteer supervisors able to work from Monday to Saturday between 1 and 5 p.m. In addition to supervision, volunteers from the Concordia community are needed to help with free skates, lessons and program coordination. If you’re interested, please email Krzysztof Kmiecik.

You can read about Kmieck’s collaboration with other student groups’s in the Link Newspaper.

Read about how to start a student club on campus. 

How to get your student project off the ground

Krzysztof Kmiecik would like to see more students get involved at Concordia.

Here’s his advice:

1. Be persistent. Don't be afraid to try, and don’t be afraid to fail. There are lessons to be learned in everything you do.

2. Effort and persistence may require sacrifice.

3. Follow through: do what you say you are going to do.

4. Finish what you start, even if that means you can’t complete a project the way you originally envisioned it.