So I got hooked on hockey last winter after watching a local game, decided it was time to try playing myself. Started googling “hockey rinks near me” and Pingree popped up everywhere – forums, local Facebook groups, even my barber mentioned it. Figured I’d go check it out last Saturday morning.
First Impressions Matter
Pulled up around 8 AM expecting some run-down shack, but damn – place looked like a spaceship landed in Massachusetts. Huge parking lot with zero potholes (unlike that dumpy rink over in Danvers), and get this: actual heated benches in the lobby for gear changes. Didn’t freeze my butt off lacing up skates, which is already a win.
The Ice Test
Rented a pair of their Bauer skates ($5 cheaper than the place I tried last week). Stepped onto the ice and – whoa – no weird bumps or puddles. Zamboni had just finished, and the ice was smoother than my excuses for skipping gym days. Did a few laps near the boards: no dead spots where the ice cracks, no funky smells from the locker rooms. Even the plexi glass was streak-free so I could actually see plays developing.
Location Perks I Didn’t Expect
- Traffic? What traffic? Took Route 1 instead of 93 – zero red lights from my apartment.
- Beer & pizza within stumbling distance: Post-game, walked two blocks to that brick-oven pizza joint. Didn’t even need to Uber.
- Stick repair next door: Forgot my backup stick and snapped a blade during drills. Repair shop in the same building fixed it in 20 minutes while I ate said pizza.
Okay, One Annoying Thing
Only one water fountain near the south locker room. Between periods, there was a line longer than my last airport security check. (Pro tip: Bring your own bottle – they’ve got fill stations if you hunt for ’em behind the concession stand.)
Why I’ll Be Back
Booked a drop-in session for next Tuesday. Yeah, it costs $3 more than the sketchy rink by the highway, but I’m not scraping mysterious yellow sludge off my skates afterward. Facilities feel pro-level without the NHL price tag, and the location? Can’t beat rolling out of bed and being on ice in 15 minutes flat. Found my regular spot.
