Dreams of Rink

[XLFD]

On November 6th, 2019, TV 7&4 announced great news for ice skaters in the Ludington area:

MASON COUNTY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) -- A new program is bringing free ice skate rental to downtown Ludington and all residents need to get on the rink is a Mason County District Library card.
The Mason County District Library in Ludington will house and manage the rental program that provides skates that can be used on the new downtown Ludington skating rink.
The new rink is located just west of the library at James Street Plaza at the intersection of James Street and Ludington Avenue.

Engine Creative LLC and Pennies from Heaven Foundation joined forces to purchase 100 pairs of new ice skates for the program and new skate lockers were manufactured donated by Metalworks.

"The best community projects are the ones that are made by, supported by, and serve the community, making it a better place for us all,” Executive Director of Pennies from Heaven Foundation Monica Schuyler said. “The downtown and local businesses came together to sponsor and support this rink, local volunteers help build it, we are proud to support the Library, Engine Creative and Metalworks in helping make this rink accessible to all. WE look forward to seeing families make memories in our beautiful downtown.”
“Skating was a big part of my childhood and I fondly remember spending quality time with my family on the ice as a kid,” CEO of Engine Creative LLC Chris VanWyck said. “I’m proud to play a part in bringing this fun activity to our entire community.”
“Libraries have always been a part of what makes a community special, and we are excited to be part of this unique Pure Ludington experience,” Library Director of Mason County District Library Eric Smith said. “This season, bring in your library card, check out a pair of skates, and enjoy the downtown ice rink.” [END]

The article echoes what the Downtown Ludington website displays on their page, and also verbatim on the Mason County Press.  I was a little disappointed in the downtown rink last year (as recounted in Rink of Dreams).  Yet I decided I would go check it out this year, since I could rent out some skates for a couple of hours.  I could use a little practice ice skating.  I made a New Year's resolution to hit the local rink as often as I could, noting that I didn't have to worry about ice conditions preventing me rom skating in this abnormally warm winter.  

I went there on New Years Day, and it wasn't around.  I could understand that, they had their beer tent up the previous night, and besides the library was probably closed.  So I continued dropping by the James Street Plaza whenever I got the opportunity over the next couple weeks before I dropped my resolution.  I continued checking in, just in case, at least once a week, including today, over seven weeks later, but still this is what I see and have seen throughout this time (give or take some accumulated snow):

Monica, the rink is not accessible to all, it's not even accessible to anyone.  Chris VW, how can the family spend quality time on the ice rink, if it's not there in the first place? Eric, how can I enjoy the downtown rink when there isn't any downtown rink available?

The downtown merchants spent around $8000 on the original rink, determined it was about half too small to fit and skate properly and got about $8000 more worth of ice tiles.  You're looking at another couple thousand at least for purchasing 100 new ice skates.  And despite all those idle hands of the DPW in this mild weather, despite all of that promise in the marketing, despite all the hyperbole in the DDA the last two years on this project-- it's just a dream festering in a warehouse, and new skates depreciating in a new skate locker.  

As a local business may have put it:  The fake, the ice, the dream.

[AQUAMAN]

Just more Pie-in-the-Sky ideas that the local media gets hyped up about, gets the public hyped up about, then again turns into another joke on the taxpayers. But remember, it's all about fun downtown and progress. (?) I too wonder about the black spots on the panels, proper storage, and the maintenance if any done so far, and of course the skate rentals and that $$$ revenue, if any. Sad happenings locally that repeat and repeat over and over again, with no valid reasoning nor incentive to continue in the same manner into the future, yet, it continues today with the same lingo and lack of any good sense to locals.