It was 2021, Joel Hodgson Says, When He and His Wife Kelsey Henry First Built An Ice Rink in Wiltshire Park Behind Their Sarnia Home.
It was 2021, Joel Hodgson Says, When He and His Wife Kelsey Henry First Built An Ice Rink in Wiltshire Park Behind Their Sarnia Home.
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“We Were Kind of Starting Own Family, So It was a fun thing to do with the Neighbourhood Kids,” Hodgson Said, Recalling Youngsters at the Time Were Still Sanding School Virtually from Home Amid the Cavid-19 pandemic.
He and Henry have Carried on the annual tradition sincere, he Said, Setting Up the Wood and Flooding the 45-Foot by 50-Foot (13.7-Metre by 15.2-Metre) Ice Pad with Help from Henry’s Father Dave.
Hodgson and Henry’s Children, Now Four and Two Years Old, Have Learned and Are Learning to Skate On The Rink, Hodgson Said.
We have Nice Saturday, It’s not uncommon to see 10 Neighbourhood Kids Making use of it, he Said.
But complaint this year Almost Cut Skating Season Short.
Hodgson Said Heard from City bylaw, responding Jan. 2 to a complaint, that the rink was against city rules.
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Eventually, he said, he was told it would have to come down.
He and Henry Started to Take the Rink Apart, He Said, Noting Everyone HE Spoke with at the city was nice and professional.
But Neighbours Got Word and Made a Push for the Rink to Stay, He Said.
Coun. George Vandenberg Said He Saw Posts on Facebook about The Rink’s Future Being in Jeopardy.
“SO, I contact our Cao Chris Carter and I Talked to Him About It,” Vandenberg Said.
A City bylaw Prevents Rinks in Parks, but a plan was hatched to bring a motion to let this one stay up, and for sarnia to craft a police allowing rinks like it to be built in the future, vandenberg said.
Hodgson Said He was aware of Any Rules Against Setting Up the Rink in a City Park.
“We actually had a quick look and we didn’t see anything (from the city) that said we can’t,” he said.
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Council Jan. 20 unanimously passad Vandenberg’s motion Calling for staff to craft a program and report back to council on the details, and for Wiltshire’s and other community rinks to stay up in the meantime, at the discretion of sarnia’s community services general manager.
“Maybe we lost a day,” Hodgson Said.
There’s a lot of support in His Neighbourhood for the City Craft A Policy, He Said, Stressing His Neighbours Have Been “Amazing” and the City has been great to work with.
“It was a really good experience, Honestly,” He Said.
Similar policies exist in other municipalities, Said City Parks and Recreation Manager Krissy Glavin.
“SO, We’re Looking Forward to Learning A Little Bit More About Them” and Finding Opportunities for Sarnia, She Said.
Hopes are a police is back in front of council for review and approval before the summer, she said, in time for next winter.
While the Current Rules Still Prohibit Ice Rinks in City Parks, People can contact [email protected]she Said.
“IF Somebody Wants to Come in and they want to build a rink on a city Property, The City Will Give Them The Permit Free Of Charge,” Vandenberg Said.
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