Skaters without helmets may become a thing of the past at Staveley Ice and Curling Rink. Photo: Ashburton Guardian
A Mid Canterbury ice rink is "strongly recommending" helmet use, but is holding off any decision on making them compulsory after a man died following an accident on the ice.
Victor Schikker, 67, died in hospital earlier this month after he fell at Staveley Ice and Curling Rink.
His family has described his death as a tragic accident which occurred during an event that Schikker, who worked with PGG Wrightson for 49 years, had organised.
Staveley Hall Society chairman Rob Withers said they were waiting for the outcome of an investigation into Schikker's death before making a decision on mandatory helmet use.
The committee has held two meetings since the incident and discussed making helmets mandatory but held off making a decision, he said.
WorkSafe is investigating the circumstances of the incident at Staveley.
The accident occurred two weeks after Kymani Hiley-Hetaraka, 13, died after a falling during a school trip at the Alpine Ice Sports Centre in Christchurch.
The Christchurch facility has since made helmet use mandatory.
Withers said the Staveley Hall Society wanted to wait to see the findings from WorkSafe and the coroner's report.
"It is not mandatory at the moment but we strongly recommend people wear helmets.
"The first thing you see on entry is a sign recommending people wear helmets on the ice.
"We have enough helmets for everybody and a lot of people are bringing helmets."
Helmets are compulsory for all school groups that visit the rink, he said.
It is also mandatory for people curling to wear grips on their footwear, Wither said.
"It's stretchy rubber that goes over your shoes and has coiled springs underneath which cut into the ice."
Staveley Hall Society chairman Rob Withers says the committee is waiting for reports into the death at the rink before making any decision on mandating helmet use. Photo: Supplied via LDR
The rink season ends on Saturday night and the committee will have an end of season debrief in September.
The Hall Society have existing use rights with the Ashburton District Council to run the rink and recently completed a $1.4 million upgrade project to the site. The group has used the site since 1951.
Ice rink patronage numbers are much higher than last year, while it is the second season with the refrigerated rink in operation, he said.
Curling numbers had doubled and skaters have benefited from more open days, Withers said.
Like skiing, risks and accidents can happen on the ice, and ensuring the safety of its users is paramount so people keep coming back, Withers said.
"It would be detrimental to us if people thought we were too dangerous.
"We assess the ice for the conditions each day. If we think it's too dangerous, we just don't open."
The rink is volunteer run and every dollar goes back into the running rink and supporting the wider community, Withers said.
"We are not a commercial operation.
"Everything we do on that rinks gets returned to the community."
Whether it's to pay for a new bridge across the river into the rink or for a replacement roof at the Staveley Hall, the funding goes back into the community "as a way to repay of volunteers by making our community better", he said.
Council chief executive Hamish Riach said that "while we feel for all involved, council has no involvement in the operation of the Staveley Ice Rink or the land it occupies".
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
