Coral Harbour (Feb 08/06) - Young voices ringing out over the clatter of sticks as the ice groans underfoot are familiar sounds during Canadian winters.

They were sounds Bruce McKitrick heard every winter's day while growing up in Thunder Bay, Ont.

McKitrick made his own backyard rink as a youngster and now he's made another for the youth of Coral Harbour to enjoy.

Chad Bruce is ready to slip one past goalie Clifford Natakok Jr. as the next group of kids waiting to play watches the action in Coral Harbour. - photo courtesy of Bruce McKitrick

Although McKitrick's rink has been entered into a national contest looking for the best backyard rink in Canada, that's not why he built it.

He simply wanted Coral youth to enjoy the same good times he once did.

"I had gravel put in my yard and started the rink as soon as it got cold enough to freeze," says McKitrick.

"As soon as the snow arrived, I ran back and forth over it with my wife's truck.

"Then I started to spray water on it, and once our first major snowfall hit, I made the banks around it."

A flood light attached to a piece of wood in a snowbank combines with a street light to allow games to run into the evening hours.

The rink has become so popular, that many nights McKitrick is forced to pull the plug on the action.

"I unplug the flood light at a reasonable time every night, but sometimes the kids keep playing because the street light allows them to see.

"But if they play too late, I tell them that's enough for one night because they can be quite loud."

Keeping the ice clean hasn't been a problem either.

On a number of mornings following a snowfall, McKitrick comes out with shovel in hand only to find his neighbours beat him to it.

"When there's really lots of snow, I'll get rid of most of the heavy stuff and the kids will take it from there.

"I do try and get out there first when the snowfall is heavy because there's certain areas where I want to pile it to keep the banks good."

McKitrick didn't think his little rink would become popular until the spring, when there's more light and warmer temperatures. But the rink has been all the rage since he finished it - even at -40C.

"The temperature just doesn't matter to the kids.

"They dress properly for it and they're ready to go.

"Nunavut is the last frontier when it comes to a long season for outdoor rinks and communities across the territory should be taking advantage of it.

"The kids love it."