Putting your dreams on ice

This past fall, realtor Blair Sonnichsen and his wife Vicki decided to make a significant lifestyle change.

After calling Winnipeg home for many years — and bringing up a family there — they found themselves all alone in a big, family home; all their kids had grown up, gotten jobs and moved away to pursue careers and all the other things that come with becoming a grown-up.

According to Sonnichsen, the time was right to right-size, not downsize. Fortunately, a ready-made option was in place.

"We had a lake home in Whytewold (in the Village of Dunnottar) on Lake Winnipeg that we’d owned for many years," he says.

"We had been thinking of making it our permanent residence for quite some time, and that time had come."

While changing residences is never easy at the best of times, the transition to the lake home at Whytewold was about as seamless as they come. The Sonnichsens had long-established the home at Whytewold and, at a little less than 1,200 square feet, it was the perfect size for an empty-nest couple looking to simplify their lifestyle.

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Not only that, but the setting was idyllic: a cosy, window-filled home situated on an elevated outcropping overlooking Lake Winnipeg’s vast expanse. There was even a guest house where members of the Sonnichsen brood could stay with their own brood while visiting. Best of all, the home was just 38 minutes north of the city — an easy commute via Highway 8.

In the summer, it was natural for the Sonnichsens to use the lake for swimming and boating. But as for the winter? Sonnichsen says he had a brainwave about five years ago.

"For some time, I had been romanticizing the idea of having a rink down on the lake, and finally decided to do something about it five years ago," says the avowed hockey fanatic and avid Winnipeg Jets supporter. "Basically, I envisioned it and then made it happen."

For the first three years, the rink — which measures in at 80 feet wide by 140 feet long — was kind of the Wrigley Field of hockey rinks, which is to say, it had no lights that would allow for play at night.

That shortcoming was addressed for the 2015-16 hockey season.

"I added a pair of floodlights last year. Previously, the rink was used for a seasonal skate during the day only. Now, we can use it at night. It has a fire pit area (not part of the rink’s square footage) with a bench and chairs, and also has regulation nets."

Not surprisingly, the rink — remember it’s part of Lake Winnipeg’s ever-shifting winter ice cover — requires plenty of maintenance.

"Let’s just say it requires a fair bit of work to maintain," Sonnichsen says with a smile. "I actually use a Tiger (propane) torch to heat up and smooth out cracks in the ice — it drops water into the cracks, and I then add more water and snow to fill them in. I then flood the rink until it’s smooth enough to skate on. I also regularly hand-sweep the rink to keep it clear. It can be a lot of work, but it’s a labour of love."

Needless to say, the Rink of Dreams has become a winter fixture in Whytewold. Not only can Sonnichsen head down to hone his game any time he feels like (which is often), but neighbours and members of the community often come by to use it.

"This year has been the best year for the rink. Conditions have been quite good, so the ice has been excellent. It’s hockey at its purest, in a setting that’s second to none," he says.

lewys@mymts.net