Therrien's rink, which comes complete with "Colisée Therrien Berthieume" signage, center ice logos, string lights, and perfectly maintained ice, didn't come together overnight. This passion project is nearly three decades-in-the-making.
"It didn't always look like this," shared Therrien, who says this is the 28th year he's created a rink in his Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu backyard barn. "When I started, my daughter was just a baby and my sons were 2 and 4 years old. That first year, I just tossed some bales of hay to the side in the old barn, which I had actually thought of demolishing because it's pretty close to the house. Once I saw how much they loved being on the rink and how passionate they were, I couldn't tear it down."
PHOTO GALLERY: Amazing ODRs
Since that first winter, Therrien has upped his ODR game every year, adding new touches and new players to his outdoor games.
"My kids have grown up, but now we do it for our nieces and nephews, who love spending their time out there," shared Therrien. "This year we have more little ones on the way, so we won't be stopping any time soon. Last year, we had a record of 150 skaters come out at different times."
While his on-ice sessions are more socially distanced this year, Therrien can look forward to welcoming two key players - a Habs alum and Youppi! -- to his Rink of Dreams as soon as it can be done so safely.
