DEPEW, N.Y. (WKBW) — When the lights come on and the puck drops, a 40-by-100-foot ice rink in John Thornton's backyard transforms into something magical.
The idea for Thornton was simply created for ease of convenience.
"I was just tired of dragging everything out to the ponds. So I said I can do something better in making the backyard," John Thornton said.
John and his two sons, Mike and Paul, along with some help, transformed their backyard into what you see today.
"It wasn't always like you see it now. It used to be just the plywood and stuff on the boards, no color, but eventually got painted," Mike Thornton said. "Then the plexiglass got added, then a lot of pucks got hit out of play, hitting some of these houses, before the netting got up."
For those really cold winter nights, they even built a "locker room" right next to the rink.
The project gave the Thornton family something to build together, creating irreplaceable memories along the way.
"I enjoy spending time with my dad and my brother playing on the rink. I like seeing my dad go out there, and he's not the youngest guy, but he still skates like he's 20 years old," Paul Thornton said.
Maintaining the ice throughout winter can be a process.
"Something like this, it's mainly just keeping the snow off of it. Heavy snow pushes the ice down and all the water up and wrecks it. Just keep the snow off of it and just water it," John said.
There's no Zamboni, at least not yet. But the Thorntons have plenty of people who are more than happy to help with maintenance.
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"You don't find this anywhere else. This is way better than skating on a pond in the middle of nowhere," Anthony Russell said.
"As soon as it starts getting cold out, it's one of the first things we start talking about is coming out here to skate," Daniel Golba said.
"We can't applaud the Thorntons enough, and I know they won't let it go to waste. They do such an incredible job, and I'm just happy to be a part of it," Tyler Wangler said.
John Thornton's backyard oasis has changed quite a bit over the years, but the feeling that everyone gets when they step on the ice remains the same.
"Everything in your mind kind of clears out, and you're just playing hockey with your friends at that point," Mike said.
"You hop on the ice, and you just forget about everything, and you're just playing hockey. It's a good time," Paul said.
"Again, it's everyone who always comes here who just enjoys the fact that it's such a big rink. You come out here, and you just want to compete," John said. "No one ever wants to lose. So the games get pretty intense."
More than the wins and the bragging rights that come with them, these lifelong friends have proven that it's OK to take a step back in time and live out some of those childhood memories. After all, those are the moments that truly stick around for the rest of your life.
