On the average snow day, Pickerington Parks and Recreation Director Rebecca Medinger receives at least five phone calls from families eager to sled.
And when she answers, she directs sweatered sledders to Sycamore Park.
The biggest and best hills can be found in spots around the park: one just behind the Pickerington Senior Center and leading down toward the soccer fields, one near the park’s pond headed toward the amphitheater and one leading away from the hilltop shelter. Some people have also been found sledding on the golf course, though Medinger doesn’t necessarily condone it.
The park is unofficially divided into upper and lower areas. On days when sledders are out in force, the lower area of the park is shut down to traffic to prevent any potential accidents.
“I’m a winter person as well, so I’m all for anything that gets people out and about,” says Medinger.
Medinger herself prefers skiing, but occasionally enjoys sledding with her family.
The powdered hills aren’t the only things to be carved at Sycamore Park. There is also an outdoor skating rink for the more finesse-focused families.
The first time the rink was set up in 2011, it was just a simple 20-by-100-foot strip of ice over a tarp that was cordoned off with PVC piping. Since then, the park staff, with a little help courtesy of volunteers from a community rich with hockey fandom, has perfected its skating rink craftsmanship.
Barring any wintry weather disasters, the skating rink is maintained by park staff and volunteers at least two times a week.
There is no charge to use the park’s skating rink, though skaters must bring their own skates.
Although it’s dependent on the weather, the skating rink is usually ready for skaters in February.
“February’s the sweet spot,” says Medinger. “Sometimes it can start earlier or run later, but it really just comes down to the weather.”
Kyle Banfill is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at ssole@cityscenemediagroup.com.
