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IKPIARJUK/ARCTIC BAY
It's no wonder Rex Willie's friends call him a "hockey freak." For the past 10 years, he and a team of volunteers have flooded, groomed and painted the perfect sheet of ice - finished Nov. 13, one of the earliest completed in the territory - so they can lace up as soon as possible.

Derek Willie puts the finishing touches on a clean, new sheet of ice at the arena in Arctic Bay. The ice was completed Nov. 13. - photo courtesy of Rex Willie

"My brothers and relatives all help so we can play hockey and the kids can skate," he said.

When it comes to making ice, many hands make light work, and water trucks help make it go faster. If not for their help, said Willie, the volunteers would have had to flood the rink with a garden hose. After two weeks, the ice was ready and it was time to paint lines and goalie creases. Willie, who's an instructor at Arctic College, learned the complex painting process years ago from a former supervisor who took a course in Iqaluit. Laying thin strips of red and blue paper and painting with a portable pump and garden hose took another week.

"If we had a real painter, we would be finished faster," said Willie, who managed to complete the rink while hamlet recreation co-ordinator Thomas Levi was away on holiday.

"I came back and it was all done, so I was pretty happy about that," said Levi.

But Willie, Levi and the community will have to wait just a little longer now. A fresh sheet of ice awaits its first cut of skates as workers repair dressing room benches.

Thanks to volunteers Derek Willie, Ryan Willie, Tagoo Willie, Curtis Willie, Jimmy Enoogoo, Johnny James Kilabuk, Steven Taqtu, April Tatatuapik, Willie's kids Logan, Edmond, Owen, Rex and Horizon, Marcus Kigutak and community water truck drivers, the arena should be open this week.

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