Bob CollinsOh, Minnesota. What has happened to you?
The era of outdoor hockey may be ebbing, if a report from KSTP has a ring of truth. It may be the canary in a coal mine of sports.
Newport is considering closing its outdoor hockey rink.
Not enough kids in the Loveland Park neighborhood are willing to strap on the blades anymore, the mayor says.
“The internet, Pokemon, all that stuff is taking us away from that neighborhood closeness and outdoor activities, in a way it is a shame,” Newport Mayor Tim Geraghty told the station.
For the record, Pokemon is actually increasing outdoor activity and closeness, and it’s not responsible for kids not wanting to skate outdoors anymore.
In an era of organized sports, pick-up games are so yesterday. Just look at the empty baseball diamonds in your local city park.
It costs about $4,000 a year to keep the rink and warming hut up. City officials says if they close the rink, they may upgrade the last remaining outdoor rink.
“If we’re providing services, it has to be for more than just a few people,” City Administrator Deb Hill tells the South Washington County Bulletin.
Archive: For the love of outdoor hockey (NewsCut)
