HOWARD, Wis. — Forty degrees and sunny on a late December day isn’t typical Wisconsin weather.
But for Lori Hermsen of Howard, Wis., Friday was the perfect chance to go ice skating with her grandson and nephew.
The trio were at the Howard Commons Activity Complex in Howard, near Green Bay.
“It’s a new spot, so this is our first time checking it out,” Hermsen said. “The weather is perfect and we wanted to check out this beautiful place Howard is offering to our community.”
Although she hasn’t skated in years, spending time with the boys — one from Alabama and the other from Wisconsin — got her back on the ice.
“They’ve been house hopping all week to see relatives, so this is one this is one thing that was on my list to do with them this week,” Hermsen said. “We’re finally doing it before he heads back to Alabama.”
The complex features the skating rink, a biergarten and — in warm weather — a splash pad and music venue. The ice-skating rink doubles as a roller rink for part of the year.
Director Melissa Martinson said the commons has been a long-term vision for the community. It was brought to fruition in August when the complex opened.
“Nothing makes me happier than seeing families spending time together. Multiple generations are here,” she said Friday. “Earlier this week, we had a 99-year-old lady in wheelchair who wanted to cross [ice skating] off her bucket list. Her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were here and were able to push her on the ice.”
Martinson said the community has responded positively to the space.
“There are multiple times a day people stop and tell me how great this is for our community and that we needed this,” she said. “We needed a space where people could feel safe, mingle with people they maybe haven’t seen and just spend quality time making new memories.”
With winter break winding down, Hermsen said she is happy to spend time with her relatives before they return to their regular routines.
“I wait for him to come so we can do this kind of stuff,” she said. “This is a cherished memory I’ll have.”