The Greatest Canadian Hoser: P.E.I. man wins award for backyard rink

The toughest part of Stephen Gaudet's first year as a backyard rink builder will be convincing his wife where to display his new national award. Whowouldn'twant a spray painted garden hose on the mantel?

"There wasalotof time and effort and we should be proud of it," Gaudet saidof the award that seems destined for the garage of his Summerside, P.E.I. home.

After years of skating on other backyard rinks Gaudet decided this was his year to create his own sheet of ice behind his house.

"I've got acouple of girls who play hockey and they're getting older, it's just one of those things where it is now or never. I always kind of wanted to do it, to give it a try."

Not only did he succeed, Gaudetwon the "Great Canadian Hoser Award" from Canadian Tire. He and threeother Canadians won the recognition. The company made contact with the rink makerswiththe help of an organization called RinkWatch.

He's also learned plenty during his first year as a rink builder. Mainly, that flat and level are not the same thing.

"I need to build it up a little bit more," Gaudet said of one area of his backyard."So that I can put more water in basically."

Terrain was not the biggest challenge for Gaudet this has been an unusually mild year on the Island, a number of freeze and thaw cycles have hit the province leaving the rink a shadow of itself.

• Hear the full Island Morning interview with Stephen Gaudethere

"It'sholdingit's own at this point, there's grass all around it but there's ice in the middle."

This won't be his last rink though, Gaudetwill be back in the game next year.

"It's all brand new lumber, and the liner that I use you can't just buy a small piece of itso I've got enough there for a couple of more years."