January 5, 2005
Fun Zone makes big splash
Civic Center holds New Year's Eve swim and skate for families
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
With seven kids at home ready to bounce off the walls, the Troost and Rounds families decided to go to the Grand Traverse County Civic Center Friday evening.
New Year's Eve, their traditional get-together time for at least 12 or more years, found the two families skating at the rink and splashing in the pool. For three hours, they frolicked during the Civic Center's Family Fun Zone, whose open skate and open swim was meant to give families a way to have fun together.
"We were supposed to ski on Thursday and well_" said Leslie Rounds, a Mount Pleasant resident, of last week's rainy weather. "This was more encouraging."
Tim Schreiner, director of Grand Traverse County Parks and Recreation, created the Family Fun Zone with help from Centre ICE staff, which rents space at the Civic Center for the ice rink.
The event ran from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. Friday evening , with organizers deliberately scheduling it during family-friendly hours. In all, an estimated 45 people swam and 110 people skated during the event, numbers that surprised everyone.
"It was really a great turnout for something that Tim Schreiner and I kind of put together at the last minute, Tim did most of the legwork on it," said Terry Marchand, executive director of Centre ICE.
"We thought it was very successful and something we'll probably do again next year," he added. "Maybe even expand on it a little bit and bring in pizza."
Parent inquiries before the holiday started the ball rolling, Marchand noted, and Schreiner decided to make it happen.
"Up until about three years ago, the county did not consider this a holiday and we would be open on New Year's Eve until five or six," Schreiner said. "Then the union negotiated the day off and we decided to try it."
Numerous pool staff agreed to work and multiple lifeguards kept an eye on the antics in the pool throughout the evening. Center ICE also had personnel on hand to rent skates, collect fees and help as needed.
"It turned out to be a lot more people than I thought," Marchand said.
Jim Werth of Traverse City brought his two younger daughters Markie, 10, and Lainie, nine, to the party. After an hour on the ice, his girls were ready for the pool. Although he declined to swim, electing to watch their antics from the sidelines instead, he was pleased at the opportunity for family fun.
"I was looking for something to do with them and this turned out nice," said Werth, noting his two older daughters had plans of their own. "When we first got here, it wasn't crowded but then it picked up."
As for the Troost and Rounds children, who ranged in age from seven to 14, they relished the chance to have a double dip of fun. When the ice rink began to get crowded, they scoped out the pool before committing to switch. Once in the pool, everyone stayed and played for the next hour and a half, until the party was winding down.
"We get to do both at once and not have to go two places," said Elizabeth Troost, 14, of Traverse City.