A Penguin Joins the Skaters

A packed ice rink fills the center of this arena, skaters in bright coats circling and chaining hands while one figure has just tumbled onto the ice. A costumed penguin mascot skates hand in hand with a child, and a small orange resurfacing cart trundles along the boards as a waitress carries steaming drinks to two more skaters. Behind a glass wall at the back, a raised rink hosts a hockey match, players in red and blue chasing the puck toward a netminder while rows of spectators watch from tiered red seats near a first-aid room. Downstairs, a long counter rents out skates from stacked cubbies, and a crowd lines up at a snack bar for popcorn, hot dogs, and drinks beside an arcade machine and cash point. Children by the entrance clutch inflatable tubes and popcorn boxes, each corner of the rink humming with its own small rush of activity.