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Plymouth Ice Festival
Page 18
Put down the Playstation control
and shut off the X-Box. It's time to get
outside and learn to ski.
That's the experience Rob Parent
and his family are offering during the
IceFestival this year, at no cost.
“We did something like this last year
and it was a blast,” said Rob Parent,
whose father Bob, wife, Heidi and
brother, Alex are all involved at the
Sun & Snow store at the corner of
Main Street and Ann Arbor Trail. That
corner will be very popular during the
festival as the family loans skis and
other equipment so that novices can
try the cross country course they are
building out of snow across the street
inKelloggPark.
“It is just so much fun to watch the
kids,” Parent said. “For many of them,
this will be the first time on a pair of
skis. This builds winter sports and
that's really what we want to do. We
have so many parents who come in
after the festival and tell us it's the first
time they've seen their kids really
enjoy awinter sport.
“And some of these kids take to it
likemagic,” he said.
The cross country track looks,
Parent said, something like a go cart
track, but is built entirely of snow. If
Mother Nature doesn't cooperate, Sun
&Snow, who partneredwith one of the
major sponsors this year, McDonald's,
will truck in snow as they did last year
for the rail jamexhibition.
“That was really fun, too” Parent
said.
This year in the ski track they will
install a small hill so skiers can get the
feeling of going up and gliding down.
“It will be just big enough to be chal-
lenging but small enough to still be
safe,” parent said.
The entire event, including the
equipment from Sun & Snow is free
and open to anyone of any age who
wants to try it.
“We had a lot of parents going with
their kids last year,” Parent said. “It is
just really fun.”
If there is enough snow, and Parent
is crossing his fingers, there will also
be a snowshoe course where folks can
try that experience. “That takes a lot
more snow, it has to be deep,” Parent
said, “but we'rehoping.”
“Last year we got lucky with the
weather and it was cold enough for the
track and the rail jam, so we're really
looking forward to this year.”
Parent and his family have lived in
Plymouth for more than 30 years and
opened their first family sports equip-
ment store in Ann Arbor in 1977. This
second location in Plymouth has been
open for about three years now.
Parent said the entire family looks
forward to any way they can build win-
ter sports in Michigan, “otherwise,
you're miserable for three months out
of the year,” he said.
“We'll have the music playing, we
have skis and boots to fit any size. It
will be a great time. We hope every-
body comes out,” he said.
Sun & Snow is located at 388 Main
St. Formore information, call (734) 927-
0007.
Bunny hill?
Winter Fun Zone offers free skiing experience