Enjoying January

 

Miss Bridie, feeling comfy, at the game preserve cabin.  Photo by Bill Love

We had already done our morning woods walking and had attended to some other chores when Bill told me that after lunch he would be taking Bridie to the Trout Creek game preserve for a walk. 

We're approaching mid-January in a year with little snow, so why not go for a walk in a game preserve! No need for snow shoes or skis. 

So, off they went.  Soon after that, I finished my cup of coffee, loaded up Foster and headed over to Roxane's, to work with a horse. 

Prior to this week, I've simply gone to their pasture with a brush or two and have given all three a quick once-over---combing manes, tails and foretops. 

This week, I decided it was time to take blankets off and give them the full-meal deal with grooming. 

So, yesterday was CB's turn.  I had already done Lefty earlier in the week. 

Of my three horses, it's rather apparent that CB really likes having Mom around.  He stands at the gate waiting when he knows I'm still around. 

So, yesterday had to be a bonus for him, and with his good gentlemanly behavior, our grooming session turned out to be a bonus for me too. 

For the first time this year, I also walked him around Roxane's indoor arena, complete with huge mirrors. 

He didn't seem to mind looking at himself in the mirror and continued his gentlemanly ways. 

It was a very positive session, and, later, I learned that Bill and Bridie had experienced a similar outcome with their walk on mostly bare ground in the game preserve. 

Have any of you longtime blog readers noticed that not once have I complained about January in 2025? It's a perennial thing with me because I usually hate January the most of any month of the year. 

Not this year.  

So far, January has been very good to us, allowing us to recreate outside rather than work, work, work at moving snow and whine, whine, whine because that's about all we can do. 

We're almost halfway through January and the ten-day forecast shows no snow, so there won't be much complaining during this January go round. 

We'll make the most of it and will remain grateful for Mother Nature allowing us to enjoy being outside. 

The mirrors at Roxane's are amazing, but the camera does pick up the smudges.  The picture is not scratched. 

Yesterday, the monthly Co-Op Country newspaper arrived in our mailbox.  After bringing the paper inside, I flipped through the pages and saw yet another piece of local history compiled by my friend and blog editor Helen Newton.

She's been busy at the keyboard, and we'll all enjoying her efforts.  

Helen has been contributing some fascinating local history stories to the paper for some time.

This piece dealt with the history of ice rinks in the Sandpoint area.  Timely, of course, because of the recent opening of a popular new rink called The Pond in Ponderay. 

Ironically, Friday night I reconnected with former student named Laura Wold and her family who had come to the area from Moscow to try out the new rink. 

Upon further visiting, I learned that Laura has more than a passing interest in ice rinks and skating.  

She manages the Palouse Ice Rink in Moscow, which serves as a venue for the University of Idaho and Washington state hockey teams.

So, I hope you enjoy a little bit of local rink historical tidbits from Helen along with the story of a local who has found her professional niche with skates along with the knowledge and experience to manage a thriving rink in a college town. 

FYI:  Laura's mom Stephanie Straumfjord Wold was one of my colleagues at Sandpoint High School.

 

by Helen Newton

Written for the Co Op Country Newspaper

   Ponderay, “The Little City with a Big Future” continues to live up to its motto. With the support of many sponsors including the Co-op, Ponderay has produced “The POND Ice Skating Rink.”  John and Jim Hunt, Nancy Piatt, Dave Daugherty and many other leaders of the little city who have passed would be so proud.

The desire for a local skating rink has been hashed and re-hashed for over a century by our local politicians.  The major impediment seems always to have been that days cold enough to produce ice were few and they were immediately followed by melting temperatures. 

As early as the November 10, 1909 the local paper reported that “youngsters of the city enjoyed their first ice skating of the season on Weil’s pond.”  The initial Weil’s Addition was three blocks surrounded by 1^st and 4^th Avenues, Pine and Lake.  

Weil’s second and third additions followed.  Where Weil’s “pond” was shall remain a mystery.  

Over the decades, ponds and any depression in the landscape that collected water during any snow melt was coveted for skating.  Sloughs and backwaters also provided skating opportunities.  Seldom did the big lake freeze over in smooth enough conditions for more than a few days of skating. 

But whenever conditions were right, the locals took advantage of it.  

As long ago as January, 1910, a meeting was called to organize a town hockey team.  Two anonymous locals had promised to build a rink if a team could be put together.  Visions of hosting teams from Canada were entertained. Alas, nothing came of this. 

In late December 1928, Kiwanis members built a rink on the lake shore at the end of Second Avenue by creating an artificial pond by damning the overflow of a city water main.  The rink, 200 yards long by 200 feet wide, was a club project intended for underprivileged children but was happily used by everyone.  There was no admission fee.

 Perhaps a few readers might remember skating on the rink behind the “old” high school (corner Euclid and Pine).  They might be surprised to learn that in December 1940 the rink underwent improvements provided by President Roosevelt’s National Youth Administration which was established to give teenagers and young adults socially useful and constructive work so that they may become assets rather than liabilities to society.

Adults were not to be left out of the enjoyment of skating.  The Sandpoint Bulletin reported on December 23, 1943, that Mr. and Mrs. J. R. McFarland, entertained a group of friends with an evening of skating and “a snack” afterwards.  

At that time the McFarland’s lived on their farm near the mouth of Chuck’s slough on the Dover Highway.  Guests whose names will be familiar to “old-timers” were Mr./Mrs.:  Frank Evans, Lloyd Gardner, J. M. Brown, Virgil Gill, Ross Hall and Mrs. Ted Farmin and Mrs. Robert King. 

On December 4, 1974, the Bee’s Malcolm Hall asked readers if they had ever wondered why there was no skating rink in Sandpoint.  According to then Sandpoint’s Parks and Recreation Superintendent Bob Lindsay, he had “tried a half-dozen times at least” but the weather always warms up and the ice is gone. 

In a November 25, 1981 interview with Cedar Street Bridge owner Scott Glickenhaus, he said, “The community should explore new things for tourists and residents to do.  We need more diversified recreation.”  He went on to propose flooding the tennis courts at the city beach and said he was even considering flooding the surface of his bridge.” 

In November, 1985, city parks director Maurice Dunn announced that the city’s parks crew would be keeping the snow cleared from a skating area on Sand Creek behind Gunning’s Alley.  Skaters could skate from the Cedar Street Bridge almost to Bridge Street.

It will now be up to the public to support “The Pond” in Ponderay.  

Congratulations, Ponderay, for bringing this long-awaited

 recreational opportunity to fruition! 

~~~~

About Laura Wold, Palouse Ice Rink Manager

 

Laura was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and spent most of her childhood in Sandpoint, ID. 

She has worked for four different ice facilities (Glacier, Manchester, LC & Palouse Ice Rink) over the last fifteen years! 

She’s a level 5 USA Hockey Coach, Level 2 Official, an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, and is a certified Ice Rink Administrator with the US Ice Rink Association.

 Laura has a Bachelor’s Degree in exercise science (2009 U of Montana) and a Master’s Degree in recreation (2012 U of Idaho). 

She loves coaching, playing hockey, weightlifting, snowboarding, hiking, and biking. She spends most of her free time with her daughter, Lillyann (5) and her son Ben (1)!

Former Sandpoint resident Laura Wold, manager of Palouse Ice Rink in Moscow

 

from Laura . . . .

I grew up in Sandpoint, Idaho! Loved hiking, biking, and snowboarding on the mountain! I graduated from LPO in 2003 and went on to complete my undergraduate degree in Exercise Science from the University of Montana! 

While in Montana, I picked up the spot of ice hockey! Loved it and began a career working at the rink in Missoula! From Montana, I moved to Moscow Idaho and, while working in the hockey rink, graduated with a Masters in Recreation. 

After school, I moved to McCall, Idaho and worked at the Manchester Ice Rink and ran a kids camp at Shore Lodge! 

In 2016, I moved back to Moscow Idaho again and began working at the rink again! I've been managing for 7 years and helped with the transition from the old rink to the new remodeled rink in Moscow! I love the rink, skating, and helping other people recreate! 

 Recently, I made a trip back north to Sandpoint to try out the new rink. I would've loved to have a rink back when I was growing up there! It was a wonderful experience! Cute setup! 

I brought my kids, and they loved the outdoor pond, skating to good music, and of course, the adorable polarbear skating aids were a hit! 

Great job Ponderay and the Sandpoint area for growing the game and providing positive recreation for the community!

Probably more fun outside today. 

Happy Sunday.