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Rink Ready

Ed Dias ready for hockey action at his rink on Five Mile River road in Putnam. Courtesy photo.

 

If you build

rink, they

will skate

By Ron P. Coderre

The arrival of increasing temperatures and warm weather are omens of summer and relief from the horrors of winter.  Thoughts of baseball and golf enter the minds of individuals looking for a break from cabin fever.  The aura of warm days also puts thoughts of ice and hockey in the far recesses of one’s mind.

Thanks to the Boston Bruins who recently clinched the National Hockey League Eastern Conference Atlantic Division title and a playoff berth, local fans still hanging on to their interest in the cold weather sport as they hope the Bruins can bring home the Stanley Cup.  

A well kept secret in Putnam is the fact that there’s a hockey rink on Five Mile River Road where the ice doesn’t melt.  This isn’t your typical hockey rink but for the diehard skater it certainly serves the purpose of being able to move the puck around even in the summer months.  This rink is the brainchild of Ed Dias who landed in Putnam in 1996 from just across the border in Rhode Island.

A hockey fanatic by his own admission, Dias started playing hockey at an early age in what is familiarly referred to as pond hockey.  By 1980 his love of hockey took him to Rhode Island College where he was a center iceman for the Anchormen.  After college he bounced around South Central New England playing in men’s non-contact hockey leagues.

After settling in Putnam with his wife Jennifer, Dias buckled down on earning a living as an independent 401(k) investment adviser.

While enjoying his career and working closely with clients Dias received some unexpected news in 2003 in the form of a serious medical condition.  A resolute individual, Dias struggled with his condition.  That’s when his love of hockey helped him return to some semblance of normalcy.

“I needed an angle to help me cope with my physical condition and relieve the related stress and anxiety.  I spoke with my wife about building this modified hockey rink and she gave the idea her positive approval.  After that I went to work on building it,” said Dias.

In 2008 Dias embarked on his dream.  It took him six full months to construct the Quonset hut style 60x30-foot structure, complete with boards and netting, which is covered in vinyl over steel bars and resembles a greenhouse.  Dias is very proud of the fact that he drove every nail and screw during the construction of the rink.   

The surface of the rink is roller-deck tile, conducive to roller blade skates.  According to the “Dias rule book,” games are played with regular hockey sticks, using orange mylec pucks.  The goals are very unique and rather tiny, measuring 12 inches in width and are 3 inches high.  Games are generally played two-on-two and maximally three-on-three.

“The size of the goal is so small that it really helps players improve their shooting accuracy and makes the competition very interesting,” said Dias.

The games are started at center ice by an overhead Dias-designed puck dropper.  Due to the size of the rink, the center ice line is used as the blue line and prevents icing passes.  The size of the goal eliminates the need for a goaltender allowing players to concentrate on offense and defense in the non-contact games.

“I want to promote friendly competition.  No one has ever been hurt in the six years since we’ve opened.  I want play at the rink to be a fun experience for the participants,” he said.

Dias notes that his wife enjoys the facility and uses it to sharpen her tennis game.  He has a 21- year-old son, Nicholas; 12-year-old daughter, Victoria who uses the rink to practice her basketball skills and entertain her friends; and a 10-year-old son, Jackson who skates well but doesn’t like hockey.

Since its opening in 2008 Dias said, “It’s unintentionally been a well kept secret,” with the primary users being his hockey friends from Rhode Island.

“I’m inviting local people to come and visit the rink and participate at no charge.  I’m willing to set up a special night for younger kids if people would like that,” said Dias.

Anyone interested in visiting the facility and learning more about this unique hockey venue is encouraged to contact Dias at 860 963-7466 or by e-mail – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to set up a visit to the site. 

Unlike the Field of Dreams in Iowa, where “if you build it they will come,” was the overriding theme, Dias’ “Rink of Dreams” is inviting people to come free of charge.

As far as his status with physical ailment, he’s still mildly bothered, but is coping with it in a positive manner thanks to his dream and the support of his family.  “The rink has done its job.  It’s helped to relieve the pressures of work and life,” is Dias’ conclusion.

 

 

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