The unseasonably warm temperatures in early September are not causing any issues for the ice quality at Affinity Place, the city confirmed on Tuesday morning.

Rod March, the Parks and Facilities Manager with the City of Estevan, said there have not been any issues thanks to the upgrades to the ice plant that were installed a couple of years ago.

"To be honest, there's not a lot of challenge there at all," March said. "Keep in mind that our ice plant also services the building's air conditioning, but with the upgrades that we made to the ice plant there a couple years ago, we've had no issues whatsoever."

"We've got two dehumidifiers that pull all the moisture out of the building."

March encouraged everyone using the building to keep the external doors closed. 

"Some people still have a habit of putting something in them to go outside, but they are fire doors that need to remain closed and that helps keep that building cool as well as keep it safe for everyone in there," March said.

March said the ice surface takes precedent over the air conditioning in the building. 

While Affinity Place is equipped to have ice all year round, March said that's not the case for the adjoining Power Dodge Ice Centre.

"Because of the lack of insulation and everything in that building," he said. As we get into the spring or into the early fall, the warm temperatures severely affects the ice quality at Power Dodge because there's no dehumidification in the building and there's really not a lot of insulation, so you're dealing with a big tin can."

March said the ice is scheduled to start going in at the Power Dodge rink on Sept. 19, about the same time the ice at the Estevan Curling Club is scheduled to start going in.