Wakefield offers simple winter fun at no cost

By P.J. GLISSON

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Wakefield - Winter fun in Gogebic County does not necessarily require tickets or expensive equipment, as several local residents proved here on Friday.

Although the Wakefield ice rink is not yet ready for skating, a group of Bessemer residents used only their boots and a good deal of gusto to maneuver around the ice, occasionally falling, but getting right back up for more.

"We just moved here a few days ago," said Joseph Miller, who was also referring to his wife, Carly Reil. "We wanted to be the Christmas present."

He said they had been living in Chicago, where he grew up, but decided to settle here, where Carly still has many family members after being raised in Marenisco.

According to Miller, he also lived in this region while his family made it their home between 2003 and 2010. He added that he also joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2006, but returned here for visits.

Miller said he and his nephew, Sunny Reil, 4, had spent time playing "King of the Hill" on Lake Shore Drive near the rink on the southwest corner of Sunday Lake.

They also took it as a challenge to clear snow from the big chair stationed in that area.

They then decided to do some "slip-sliding" on the ice rink, mostly with hands held for moral support.

Carly joined them when she arrived, followed by her brother-in-law, Muly Reil, who is Sunny's dad.

Despite the climate here being a little rougher than Chicago, Miller said, "I'm totally okay with the snow."

He added, "I've snowboarded and skied. I'm looking forward to snowmobiling if we can get one before the season is over."

According to Wakefield City Manager Bob Brown, progress on the ice rink slowed due to warm weather, water hose damage, and the necessity to apply multiple layers of water to the rink surface.

The manager said city employees expect the rink to be ready for skating by the end of January 2020.