Clear Lake was known as the Saratoga of the Midwest for good reason. Our natural environment offers us a playground for sport and recreation. When the water turns from summer soft to the frozen ice of winter, the games don’t end. Some are now just beginning.
Are you excited to lace up those skates and glide across the ice? For many years Clear Lake cleared a spot in front of North Lakeview Drive for use as a skating rink. A few years a hockey rink was cleared out from City Beach. Even in the days before we had aerators it could be tricky to create a rink.
In 1952, Glen Severson’s 7 1/2 ton International Harvester plunged through the 8-10 inch ice off City Beach. The driver Allan Tarr escaped safely but obviously got a cold dunking. The town gathered to watch the tractor get pulled out and eventually the hockey players could skate.
In 1958, the Dandy Lion reported that “Last year there was a hockey game almost every Sunday, weather permitting. The teams were made up of young men and town business people.” Did you play or know someone who did?
Sharpen up those skates. Soon real winter will arrive and our Parks and Rec guys will layer by layer create our Marion Park rink. Fortunately falling through the ice isn’t a problem for them.
Photo circa 1953 from Clear Lake Public Library History collection.
