Lemieux, Boitano to open new Rink at PPG

Hans Brinkers, take note: Pittsburgh now boasts its own home ice in the middle of the Golden Triangle - a glimmering, 9,600-square-foot piece of North Pole real estate, complete with a 21st century sound system, coffee shop and 60-foot Christmas tree.

The public is invited to the grand opening of the Rink at PPG Place beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Breaking in the ice are Penguins owner Mario Lemieux and Olympic Gold Medalist Brian Boitano. Steelers hall-of-famer Lynn Swann will serve as rink-master for the ceremony, which also includes Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy and Allegheny County Executive Jim Roddey.

The public will have its first turn on the ice at noon and again during one- hour sessions at 1:30, 3 and 4:30 p.m.The Hillman Company, owners of PPG Place, built the rink after considering about a dozen alternatives for the space, including a park.

"If you look at the dynamics of the plaza, it kind of looks like an ice sculpture in and of itself," says John Denning, director of community projects for the Elsie Hillman Co. "There's a growing movement in the country to put real cool, neat things in urban settings."

The all-day grand opening begins with a cleaning of the ice by a Zamboni and ends with fireworks by Zambelli. In between, visitors can get an autograph from Boitano, nosh on hot dogs and listen to the music of Solid Gold and the River City Brass Band.

The diamond-shaped rink, manufactured by Burley's Rink Supply in Johnstown, was designed by Pittsburgh architects IKM Inc. It boasts an ice surface of 9,586 square feet, more than 2,000 square feet larger than the famed ice rink at Rockefeller Center. It can accommodate up to 200 skaters.

Skates can be rented for $3 at the Skate Shop, located on the ground floor of PPG Place. The shop is stocked with 434 pairs of skates of various sizes, as well as rental lockers and restrooms. Cool Beans will operate a refreshment area next door, while a sound system featuring eight Bose speakers will provide music to skate by.

Construction of the rink began Oct. 9. It will be open through the end of February, when it will be dismantled. It will re-open on Light Up Night in November for the 2002-2003 season.

The ice is kept cold by a chilling plant located in the underground parking garage.

The rink's 4-inch ice is maintained by means of a chilled water, closed loop system. A 200-ton Turbo Chiller pumps a mixture of water and antifreeze through plastic tubing, displacing heat and diverting it to the heating system at PPG Building No.1, where it will be recycled to help warm the building.

"There is no such thing as making cold," says Kim Schreck, lead engineer for Grubb and Ellis, who manage PPG Plaza for the Hillman Company. "We're taking heat and moving it somewhere else."

The ice can operate in outdoor temperatures of up to 60 degrees. If the mercury rises above 60, they still have about an inch cushion before the ice becomes too soft for skating, Schreck says. Other factors include wind and "solar load," or the amount of sun beating down on the ice.

Security cameras are mounted on the premises, while an in-house staff is on duty 24 hours a day. All are trained in CPR and first-aid, Schreck says.