It was a bright sunny day with a chill wind as Williston students bumped around the ridged ice. It was like any other day, the hockey team suited up and skating. Except they were outside.

Now that Williston’s pond has frozen over, hockey players and other students have enjoyed this opportunity to tie up the skates and glide around.

The rules for using the pond, explained in an email from Caroline Channel, Assistant Dean of Students for Community Life. Some of these rules include:

• “When skating, there must be a minimum of three people on site, either skating or observing; without the minimum present, you cannot skate on the pond.”
• “No one should be on the ice after dark, unless there is a scheduled activity through the Dean’s Office.”
• “Safety equipment, such as ladders and ropes, will be provided on each shore in case of an emergency. This equipment shall be visible and accessible and shall only be used in an emergency.”
• “Anyone playing hockey on the pond, using sticks and a puck(s), shall wear a helmet.”
• “The School has the right to deem the ice unsafe at any time.”

Hayden Hutner, a Williston Varsity Hockey player, did not grow up where he could access a pond that can freeze, and is enjoying this Williston winter perk.

“I was born and raised in Florida so it was impossible to find a pond that would freeze over and be able to skate on,” he said, adding that he’s only ever skated on a pond one other time, “but I barely remember it.”

Jake Smith, a four year day student at Williston, experienced the last time the pond froze. He loves having the pond frozen and in use for the all students, not just the hockey players.

“I think it’s a cool part of life at Williston that many haven’t experienced yet, Jake said. “Hockey players and non hockey players alike. This year has been much colder and many more people have taken the time to enjoy it. Given the weather, I think the pond will be around for a while, and I think it’s a great thing for our campus.”

Brian Wing, Director of Facilities at Williston, explained the way the ice is checked and prepared for the students to be able to skate on it.

“I have been the Director of Facilities here for about 7 years” he said. “For the pond once we feel confident the ice is thick enough to walk on, the grounds crew will start by drilling a series of holes starting about 3 feet from shore and work their way our from there” Wing, who has been Director of Facilities for seven years, said. “For the pond to be open to skating there has to be a minimum of 5″ of ice.”

Wing explained that his crew will “drill 9 holes in a grid pattern to make sure it is at or above 5 “ thick” across the region blocked out for skating.

Wing said right now there is plenty of ice on the pond.

“When we opened the pond 2 weeks ago there was between 5 and 6 inches. We are now close to 10,” he said.

The pond is checked every couple days to ensure that it is safe for the students to use.

“The precautions are the same every year. What has been different is the lack of cold weather in past years,” Wing said. “Depending on the weather conditions the ice is checked every 2-3 days.”