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ALPENA -- Recollections of an ice rink at McRae Park in Alpena will be realized once again next winter in 2027-2028.
The ice rink on the northside was a popular place for families for decades before the local government chose not to pay or maintain it.
A $13,000 grant from the Alpena County Youth and Recreation Committee will pay for an ice rink kit that will be installed at the park next winter.
The park has undergone many recent renovations by the Alpena Lions Club. The grant was approved at the Alpena County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday.
Some of the other improvements at the park include a resurfaced basketball court, new tether ball games, updates to the baseball dugouts, and new playground equipment.
The Lions Club applied for a grant with Home Depot for a shed to store the ice rink kit during the off season, Lions Club member BJ Sander said.
Sanders said that they’ve started a program called Friends of McRae Park to try and get more volunteers.
"Memories are really starting to come to fruition about ice skating at McRae Park," Sander said.
At one time there was an ice rink at the park, and the grant funds will bring that rink back. She said that people have memories of walking to McRae Park everyday to ice skate.
"I would have loved to see the park at that point in time," Sander said.
She wants to bring the ice skating rink back for those people, and their children and grandchildren.
Youth and rec funding will also go towards resurfacing the pickle ball courts at the APlex for $71,000. Another $42,232 will go towards basketball courts in Hubbard Lake. A Merry-go-round at Sunken Lake Park will be funded for $10,000, an outdoor basketball court at Immanuel Lutheran church and school for $35,200, and a golf simulator at the APlex for $21,400.
Reagan Voetberg can be reached at rvoetberg@thealpenanews.com or 989-358-5683.