Out of boredom under curfew rules, Patrick Lachance turned his front lawn into a ray of sunshine, making it a colourful rainbow rink.
Bright blues, vibrant greens and mellow yellows are just some of the colours that brighten up the ice rink outside the Chateauguay property.
“It all started after a walk around the property,” Lachance said.
The idea came after Lachance said he wanted to do more than take a walk around his snow-covered front lawn during Quebec’s provincewide curfew.
“I thought it would be fun to skate around the property instead.”
Being a self-described “average skater” and never having made an at-home rink before, Lachance decided to launch himself into the massive undertaking.
“I stopped counting after 38 hours,” he said.
The rink has completely taken over his front lawn, extending all the way to the corner of St-Francis Boulevard and Isabelle Street.
Keeping it in skating shape has also proven time-consuming.
Lachance says he is constantly shovelling and hosing down the ice, something he says he enjoys doing.
“It keeps me busy during this time.”
“He’s always working on it day and night,” neighbour Luc Bouchard said.
Bouchard, who lives a couple of houses down, says he has seen the rink grow over time into “something impressive.”
Best described as an ice trail decorated with art pieces around every bend, what gets people’s attention are the colours.
Using food colouring, Lachance dashes dye around the ice.
He says he added it just to bring joy to people in the neighbourhood.
“It’s simply to bring a smile to people’s face.”
Lachance says he made the rink for himself and not the kids.
While he is a father, he says his 18-year-old son isn’t much interested in the ice rink.
So far the ice is only open to friends and family but Lachance says if you ask nicely he is more than willing to let families enjoy the space.
“You’re more than welcome.”