Skating returns to Lily Pond

Skating returns to Lily Pond

YOUNGSTOWN

Conditions that usually force many people to stay at home brought about 75 skaters and onlookers to the Lily Pond at Mill Creek MetroParks today.

Snow and a temperature of 24 degrees motivated the winter sports enthusiasts.

Katie Smaldino, a MetroParks police officer, joked that the park “doesn’t have a Zamboni” to clear and smooth the ice, but skaters didn’t seem to mind a bit of snow on the frozen pond. “It’s exciting to see so many people skating,” she said.

The last time the Lily Pond was open for skating was in 1990. In a previous Vindicator story, Samantha Villella, MetroParks community engagement director, noted that the ice had to be tested to determine its safety. Recent low temperatures led to the pond freezing over more than it has in many years, said Steve Avery, planning and natural resources director at the park.

Read the full story in Monday’s Vindicator.