Parents Discover Cold-Weather Joys of Backyard Ice
Got skaters in your backyard? Add your own photos to this gallery.
A small but dedicated group of Rochester Hills families are spending these winter nights watering their yards — all in the name of smooth ice. Whether searching for a cold-weather outlet for energetic kids or wanting inexpensive ice time for aspiring hockey stars or figure skaters, area parents have discovered the joys of a backyard ice rink. "It's cheap entertainment for what it costs us," said Melanie Crutchfield who, with her husband, Bryan, has built a rink in the backyard of her Brookedale Woods home for the past five years. Their children, Connor, Kyle and Claire, play hockey. Their rink is usually bustling with neighborhood friends. Here in pictures, we tell the story of the Crutchfield family rink, as well as three other backyard …
