At 8:00 am on January 1, 2013, I started a year long commercial photography assignment in Laurel MD. The project was to capture many of the exciting events that occur at The Gardens Ice House. The images were used to create a 2014 calendar for the rink. The first shoot was the Annual Free Public Session that starts at 8:00 am on January 1st. Over the course of the year, I did action photography of Tri-City Hockey games, figure skating shows, curling competitions, and numerous hockey tournaments. I also did photographs to highlight the facility.
Here is January’s photo. A few of the early morning skaters, enjoying hot chocolate while taking a break at the annual New Year’s Day free public session.
February’s pick shows the “Fighting Falcons” ice hockey team having a nighttime practice on Whitey’s Pond, the newly dedicated outdoor rink.
The Gardens is an amazing facility. There is an Olympic sized ice rink, two NHL sized rinks, a Curling Rink, a small indoor practice rink, and a recently added outdoor “mini” rink. In addition to all of the ice, the building also houses the “For Sports Pro Shop”, “Wellness for Life” fitness facility, and “Ice Breakers Cafe” for refreshments. Check the Gardens Ice House website for Public Skating sessions. The Gardens hosts several ice hockey programs for skaters of all ages, the Gardens Figure Skating Club of Maryland and the National Capital Curling Center. In the summer, the ice is removed from one of the rinks and is used for other activities, including a daytime summer camp. Things like: Roller Derby, Boxing, Movie Night and Battle of the Bands occur on Saturday nights. If you’ve never been there, you should check out this fantastic facility. You might even enjoy the “Learn to Drive the Zamboni” class.