On the morning of Monday, March 23, Irvington students and staff were shocked when they arrived on campus to the sight of a large puddle that had frozen over and covered the Viking Pavilion. The incident was a result of a massive leak from the school’s pipes over the weekend.
After the cafeteria decided to test out a new school lunch option on the Friday before, many students reported experiencing unusual bowel issues; and as a result, toilets in the senior and freshman hallways experienced severe clogging. Due to the severity of the clogs, campus custodians were unable to clear the blockages earlier.
“The cold air over the weekend made the pipes freeze over and crack,” said one custodian. “The sewage from the pipes just started bursting out into the hallways, and then flooding onto the Pavilion.”
After discovering the large frozen puddle, campus administration had planned to salt the hallways and melt the ice — until Irvington’s Athletic department convinced them not to. They argued that the frozen puddle could have the potential to serve as an ice rink.
Coach Slush said, “We’re beyond ecstatic about the ice that formed over the weekend. It’s been many years since we’ve seen an upgrade of this magnitude in our athletic facilities.” Slush added that he is currently in talks with the athletic department about creating new ice skating and ice hockey sports teams.
Throughout the week, a few parents reportedly brought up concerns with the health standards of the ice rink, as it was formed from the school’s sewage and wastewater. In response to complaints, Inspector Cantdoo Myjob, an official from the district’s Department of Student Welfare and Health, paid a visit to inspect the new ice rink on Thursday, March 26.
Upon the Inspector’s arrival on campus, PE teachers leading their classes outside were teaching a skating lesson, instructing students on how to perform Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu’s performance to Zara Larson’s “Stateside”. Myjob was reportedly so enamoured by the performance that he joined the students in learning the “Stateside” routine.
Since the ice rink passed its health inspection with flying colors, campus administration has taken increased measures to uphold the maintenance of the ice. Notably, campus custodians have now been provided with Zambonis by the district office to maintain the ice at the end of each day. Reportedly, they will now have to participate in mandatory Zamboni training, which will include using the equipment to chase students around campus and contain misbehavior, as needed.
As spring approaches in the coming weeks, staff are preparing for the ice rink to eventually melt away. “Considerations are being made to turn the melted sewage into fertilizer,” said Principal Rinks. The fertilizer would then be put toward revitalizing the grass fields for the use of other athletic teams.
For the upcoming school year, a permanent ice skating team at Irvington is becoming an increasingly sought-after prospect. Rinks commented, “We’re currently having discussions about potentially bringing out the sewage water periodically during the colder months of the school year to freeze over; that way, we can have a seasonal ice rink for our athletic activities.”
