Frozen Sandlot returns for a fifth year
Bridges Outreach partners with city to provide affordable family fun
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It might be Black Friday everywhere else in Kokomo, but Municipal Stadium will be lit up like it’s the middle of summer on Nov. 25. That date marks the return of the Frozen Sandlot, and hundreds, if not thousands, of people are expected to take to the ice this season.
Operated as a partnership between the City of Kokomo and Bridges Outreach, the Frozen Sandlot will offer ice skating most days between Nov. 25 and Jan. 8. Bridges executive director Travis Taflinger explained that the arrangement has been a blessing for his organization.
“This is our fifth year, thanks to the city,” said Taflinger. “We couldn’t do it without them. They found the skating rink guy. They pay for him to build it here. They just don’t have the manpower to run it, so they said if a local non-profit is willing to run it, they would provide this quality-of-life winter activity for families. It is a true partnership between us and the city.”
Taflinger explained that his original intention was to open a business that would serve as a training ground for the students participating in Bridges Outreach. He initially thought a miniature golf course would be the direction the non-profit would go. After speaking with former Mayor Greg Goodnight about the proposition, a different idea emerged.
“He asked if we would be willing to run the ice skating rink instead,” said Taflinger. “We didn’t know anything about ice skating rinks, but sure! We’ll do it!”
Bridges and the students learned quickly, and today the Frozen Sandlot employs 25-30 people a season. It provides the non-profit an opportunity to prepare kids for the job market by teaching them skills they can’t learn in a classroom.
“We walk them through the application and resume and interview processes,” said Taflinger. “It’s about more than just getting a job. You want to learn how to keep it, how to communicate with your boss. We want to give the kids an entry-level job to prepare them for what’s down the road.”
Aside from the job experience the Frozen Sandlot provides, it also serves as a major fundraiser for Bridges Outreach.
“It’s huge for us,” said Taflinger. “We started this as an employment training program, but the reality is we get to keep the proceeds. We feel like our people earn it. It’s rare that you can offer affordable family entertainment, and the money goes to a good cause.
“People get to have a good time. We get to run a good local business, and we get to make some money that goes into funding Bridges Outreach, sending kids to camp, rehabilitating houses. We had heard the whispers that there wasn’t much in Kokomo for kids to do in the winter, so we get to fill that gap, too.”
For those who can’t wait to strap on the skates and hit the ice, there are some important details to know. First, the schedule between now and Dec. 16 isn’t regular. Taflinger explained past years have demonstrated that not many people come out to skate on a school night. Therefore, the rink gets rented out to businesses, churches, and organizations on those evenings.
Once schools are out for the season, however, public skating is available just about every night through Jan. 8. Taflinger encourages people to visit www.frozensandlot.com for the best scheduling information.
“We promote our website as the best place to go to get information on the Frozen Sandlot, because of the uniqueness of our schedule and weather,” said Taflinger. “We have set hours, but every week varies. Essentially, we have 34 days open to the public and nine or 10 days for companies or churches or big groups to rent it.”
It also is important to note that it doesn’t have to be cold outside for ice skating to be successful at the Frozen Sandlot. Just watch out for rain and wind.
“It has been as warm as 70 degrees, and we still had skating,” said Taflinger. “It’s basically a rink built on an air conditioning unit with chillers. Believe it or not, snow is not a big deal. Warm and cold isn’t a big deal. The worst thing for us is rain and wind.
“If it isn’t windy, the water stays cold. If it’s windy, it blows away the cold air, and the rink starts getting messy. You can see the ice melt away. But as soon as the rain and wind stop, it freezes right back up. We want to have about an inch and a half of ice. Sometimes, it can build up too much. If it gets too thick, the top layer doesn’t freeze well. It’s a science.”
Taflinger explained that people come from all over to experience the Frozen Sandlot. They have had visitors from Maine to California, and many area schools have rented the rink for their students. Even kids from Indianapolis make the trip. And sometimes it’s just people from Kokomo who have fond memories of skating at Delco Park or even on Kokomo Creek in Highland Park.
“We want people to enjoy the fact that the city gave us this gift,” said Taflinger. “For about 15 years, there was no ice skating in Kokomo.”
For those who might worry about the price, there is good news. The Frozen Sandlot has frozen its admission prices for a third consecutive year.
“I don’t know of anything that hasn’t gone up in price over the past year,” said Taflinger. “After talking to the mayor, we decided that we would keep admission at $7. That price hasn’t gone up over the past three years. It will mean we make a little less, but we aren’t a business that’s thirsty for money; we care about our community.
“We want a family of five to afford to go ice skating. That $7 includes everything, even skate rental. If you bring your own skates, it’s $5. If you just want to watch, it’s $5. We’ve tried to accommodate the community. And our passes last all day. You can come in on Saturday at noon and skate, go home and eat and warm up, and then come back that evening and skate again.
“Kokomo has been so good to Bridges, so we want to provide a service that is good to the community.”
The Frozen Sandlot opens on Fri., Nov. 25, and will offer ice skating through Jan. 8. For additional information, visit www.frozensandlot.com.