Without snow, winter sports park hopes synthetic ice draws visitors
LAKETON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — A synthetic ice rink is the newest attraction at the Muskegon Luge Adventure Sports Park.
“The surface is not refrigerated,” outdoor adventure specialist Dan Bonner explained the Glice rink. “There is a little layer of silicon on the top to give you some glide.”
He said the feeling is similar to but somewhat different from skating on a traditional ice rink.
“It’s 90% the glide that you would get on an ice skating rink. You don’t get as much as an edge as you do on natural ice, but you definitely can use hockey skates, recreational skates,” Bonner said.
The Glice rink opened last weekend and will be open again Friday and Saturday.
“People have just loved getting outside being able to ice skate do something unique and new,” Bonner said.
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He said warmer winter weather in recent years had the nonprofit winter sports complex looking for alternatives. Last year, the park had to rebuild its luge run three times because of warmer weather and a lack of snow.
“We wanted to add this for our season pass holders and for visitors of the community because we make everything out here with natural conditions, so we need at least 4 inches of snow to pack down and make a natural liner for ice skating rinks. When we’re waiting on snow, we can get people on ice skates and get people outside and active,” Bonner said.
The synthetic rink adds to the activities Muskegon Luge offers that do not require snow.
“People can get outside. They can go hike on the hiking trails, the ski trails, they can Glice skate, and they can go down the zip line,” Bonner said.
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Bonner says the park relies on support from season pass holders and visitors to help it get through winters with less natural snow.
“It’s tough to be outside and just be really excited to have winter. We thrive when we have people, families, visitors come out here and enjoy all that we have to offer,” Bonner said. “We’re just remaining optimistic that we’re going to get snow here soon.”
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