Dubai Ice Rink at The Dubai Mall is developing 38 mm of ice – nearly three times the thickness of an NHL ice rink – using advanced refrigeration technology for the highly anticipated Olympic-sized attraction.

It employs the latest technology to create, and maintain the ‘frozen ice’ consistency in an indoor venue. Similar to a giant refrigerator, glycol (refrigerant liquid) is pushed through a network of pipes or coils embedded into the concrete platform.

Dubai Ice Rink meets all international competition standards and is capable of hosting world-class ice skating and international hockey matches, said a mall official.

'It will be a mainstay attraction for the city of Dubai on the whole, offering a brand new family entertainment venue for residents and visitors,' Yousif Al Ali, general manager, The Dubai Mall, explained.

Using refrigeration plant technology, preparation of the ice rink involves a complex layering process, involving thin layers of water frozen directly into the concrete platform, or the eventual ice rink.

The ice bed will be able to withstand the multi-activity skating and daily usage with a built-in thermostat to automatically adjust the underlying cooling system to keep the ice frozen.

The concrete pad is initially cooled for a period of five or six days to prevent cracking. During the layering process which happens over the course of a 10-day period, water is laid and frozen in thin layers until the ideal thickness is reached.

Overall, Dubai Ice Rink’s ice-making process will take up to two weeks given its Olympic-sized proportions. It will be a key attraction for not only mall visitors, but to the city as a whole, he noted.

Two-hour public skating sessions will be on offer throughout the day, every day in addition to specialised ‘Learn to Skate’ programs and a year-round calendar of events.

According to Yousif, Ice Marshals will be at hand at all times during public skating hours to ensure customer safety.

Zamboni, a special ice cleaning and resurfacing device, will be deployed across the rink every couple of hours to ensure top quality ice at all times. It takes approximately 15 minutes for the highly technical Zamboni to clean the Olympic-sized rink.

A multi-purpose venue, Dubai Ice Rink will feature a year-round events calendar both on and off the ice including themed skating events, figure skating shows, sporting matches and concerts, he said.

For non-ice events, the ice rink is designed to convert into a multi-functional hall supported by a world-class multimedia system including a 20m x 10m LED screen.

'To do this, the ice rink would be covered with insulating floor panels to prevent melting, and a temporary seating and a stage would be installed. In this format, Dubai Ice Rink could accommodate up to 2,000 guests, Yousif added.

As the city’s ultimate ‘chillout venue’, Dubai Ice Rink is a key leisure and entertainment attraction at The Dubai Mall, offering the novelty of a winterland escape throughout the year, he added.

'The constant buzz of activity at Dubai Ice Rink will add to the mall’s overall vibrant and energetic atmosphere. Dubai Ice Rink can be viewed from three levels of the mall, with high ceilings giving it an open-air feel.'

'Whether on the ice, or ‘people watching’ from the mall, Dubai Ice Rink will resound with energy and attract the attention of shoppers thus adding to the lifestyle experience at The Dubai Mall,' he said.

The operations manager of Dubai Ice Rink, Richard Rowlands, was a Welsh figure skating champion for seven years and during the same time was also a figure skating pairs champion.

He was also a British senior championship medalist in 2000 and 2001, and has since coached students competing in the British championships.

He has competed in international competitions including the world jun