[Mpls] Closures

[Steve Brandt]

First, thanks to Park Commissioners John Erwin and Annie Young for
pledging to look into this issue.

For proof that the weather is perfectly suitable for outdoor skating,
see this link:http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/5191170.html

The temp on Sunday at 3 p.m. when the Isles rink was closed for cold
weather:  5 degrees.

The temp on Monday at 3 p.m. when the Isles rink was open: 2 degrees. 


Go figure.

The wind on Sunday was light and variable.  According to wind chill
charts, at 5 degrees the wind would have had to reach more than 30 miles
per hour to reach the Park Board's stated -20 degree wind chill
threshold for closing.  Clearly it was nowhere near that.

It seems to me that people are not going to skate in subzero weather
unless they dress for the occasion.  No one is forcing people to skate
in this weather.  But if people are showing up to skate, the Park Board
ought to make it more comfortable for them during the coldest part: 
Putting skates on and taking them off.

Moreover, a person ought not to have to guess whether the warming
houses are open.  If the Park Board web site could post the cancellation
of the Lake Harriet Kite Festival, it certainly could have alerted us to
the closing of warming houses on Sunday.

It was beautiful to skate at Isles last night.  The air was crisp, the
interplay of light and shadow, the stars in the night sky.

Steve Brandt
Kingfield 

P.S. Can anyone out there teach me how to sharpen speedskates?