As the chill of winter settles over the Prairies, the heartbeat of countless small towns starts to hum again — inside the local rink. It’s where generations have laced up their skates, learned life lessons, and built friendships that last a lifetime. But behind every shining sheet of ice and every warm cup of coffee in the lobby, there’s a group of people who rarely get the spotlight: the rink and arena staff.

These are the true unsung heroes of Prairie winters. While the rest of us are tucked in bed, they’re out there flooding the ice, scraping, sweeping, and fixing — making sure the rink is ready for another day of practices, games, and open skates. Their work starts long before the puck drops and doesn’t end until long after the lights go out.

In small towns especially, rink staff are

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