Dear Editor,
In Friday’s Great Bend Tribune Jan. 9, I read with interest Susan Thacker’s Viewpoint of “Keep the skating in Kilby Square.” I think a lot of people would agree with her. I definitely do!
Last year when the city “uprooted” the artificial ice skating rink in downtown Kilby Square shortly after the Christmas season, I couldn’t believe what there were doing. Was this ice rink only to draw shoppers to the downtown area for the holidays or was it lack of help needed in the booth to pass out free skates. In Susan’s article she suggested civic groups might help. I’d like to add high school students, also are good volunteers. They might help on Saturday of Sunday afternoons and even attract other students to share the ice and have a “skating party.”
And now it is the first week in January. It is winter and it is ice skating weather. Great Bend Kilby Square still has an artificial ice rink and a place for children and adults to enjoy a safe and free activity. This we ban boast about because Great Bend is the only town around that offers such an opportunity. And this also offers visitors to enjoy our uptown coffee shops and retail stores!
Why not take advantage of what we have right now. It’s winter. Let’s keep the skating in Kilby Square. We have a treasure here!
Virginia Klepper
Great Bend