Riverbend Skate Path 2.0
2020.
A reference to a single year, and yet a complete sentence that speaks volumes. Like everywhere in the world, 2020 was a particularly challenging year for Warroad. It had started off well, but by mid-March students were ushered out of the school per government mandate, and restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues had to close their doors. Things began to look up in the summer, school resumed for in-person learning in the fall, and a return to normal seemed to be just within reach. But by early November, déjà vu set in with schools, dining, and entertainment venues shuttered once again.
For Warroad School, what started as a three-week pause through the Thanksgiving holiday, turned into close to two months of distance learning through the new year. Along with the school closure, all sports practices were canceled, and their seasons were in limbo. In the midst of this uncertainty, a group of neighbors devised a plan that would turn into the Riverbend Skate Path.
Riverbend Skate Path Beginnings
“My neighbor’s daughter actually came up with the idea,” recalled Jared Olafson, one of the founders of the path. “All she wanted to do was connect our backyard rinks along the ¾ mile riverbend. With the kids home from school, she asked, and we got to work that night.” Almost immediately, this short path was extended to Doc’s River Rink.
Riverbend Skate Path Founders
Doc’s Harbor Inn and River Rink
Doc’s Harbor Inn has maintained a large rink on its riverfront property where they have been renting skates for eight years now at only $5 a day. “We believe in getting folks outside to embrace our northern winters,” says Janet Marvin, one of three sisters who owns the property. “We don’t want folks to hibernate, so having a feasible rental spot for snowshoes, cross country skis, skates, and broom ball was a must.”
As soon as they plowed the path to Doc’s, skaters came out in droves, but they weren’t the only ones. Paul Marvin who resides along the Warroad River was a regular user of the path. “I used the path an average of 5 times a week, sometimes every day. I did a lot of skating, but I also used the Nordic ski path, ran the path in spiked running shoes, and rode my fat tire mountain bike with snow tires in the snowmobile trail that ran parallel to the path.” Momentum continued to grow and with it, the length of the path. It extended to include the neighborhoods and businesses on the east side of the car bridge.
One of the businesses, Lake of the Woods Coffee Company, was excited to see the impact of the path within the community. “It was a frosty fresh breath of air for a number of reasons,” co-owner Scott Marvin recalled. “It brought new traffic to our business, but it also brought energy, excitement, and enthusiasm during difficult covid times. We saw new faces, families who came specifically for the skate path and with that, lots of excitement over something that couldn’t be found everywhere.” Marvin continued, “The advent of the Riverbend Skate Path came at a time when we needed it the most. Covid-stricken, all of us met each day with trepidation and hesitation. The Skate Path changed that for many. It was, and is…unusual. It released nature within us as skate blades, cross country skis, and winter walking boots took to the path. It brought a contagious lifting spirit that opened the door and gave reason for families to bond together, kids and adults to get outside and enjoy nature in a simple but ever so rewarding way.”
Throughout the course of the 2020-21 season, businesses and organizations came alongside the neighborhood group, dubbed the Riverbender Crew, who founded the path. A maintenance fund was established by Warroad Community Partners, a local non-profit, to accept donations toward the path. Donations of funds and equipment began to roll in from businesses and individuals, both locally and from afar, who wanted to see this new amenity continue. The grassroots beginnings captured the attention of local and regional media. Many different news outlets visited, filmed, and reported on this unique community offering and were drawn to its grassroots beginnings. This ultimately brought national news coverage on ABC’s GMA3 and CNBC’s The News with Shepard Smith.
Like all good things, the opening season of the path had to come to an end. But before the season was even over, the Riverbender Crew was already mapping out how they could make it even better in the 2021-22 season.
Preparing for the 2021-22 Season
In fall of 2021, the 11 students entering the “Construction I” class at Warroad High School were met with a lofty task: design and build two structures for use on the Riverbend Skate Path over the winter. They began drawing plans and writing up materials lists and estimates, and by the end of the second week, construction began. They split into two groups – group one was composed of five upperclassmen, and group two was primarily underclassmen. Both groups spent every class period between September and December under the watchful eye of their instructor, Scott Edman, building the structures from the ground up, literally. Beginning with the floor, moving on to the back wall, front and side walls, the structure to hold the roof, and ultimately installing the metal roof. The interior was fully insulated, sheeted, and a bench was mounted along the back wall. The windows and door panels donated by Marvin Home Center were framed in and installed, and the exterior received a natural cedar-tone deck preservative stain. The whole structure sits upon a sturdy base with large skis hewn from treated lumber then laminated with sheets of plastic, ensuring that the structure will move with ease when towed behind a UTV on the path.
All of this was made possible through a grant under the Warroad Area Community Fund. Advisory Committee chair, Brenda Baumann, stated that when the committee reviewed the proposal it was an easy thing to approve. “The enthusiasm of Scott Edman, the CTE instructor who penned the grant, to work with the students on a community-based project resulted in a unanimous decision by the committee to fund the project.” Edman was excited for his students to take on this project, saying, "These students will be able to see their hard work being put to good use in the community for many years to come."
Another school connection will produce fire pits that are designed, built, and sponsored by the robotics team, Team F.R.E.D. (First Robotics Engineering and Design). Mentors who are engineers from Marvin and Polaris will work with students to draw designs in CAD and bring the design to life by manufacturing all the parts in the labs at the school. “As a robotics team we feel that the skate path is a fantastic community-based attraction, and our team is always looking at ways to do community outreach and real-world design projects,” stated instructor Jeremy Culleton, “We are excited to be a part of the project and our hope is to be able to bring our robots down to enjoy the path at some point and do a fun outreach with the community.”
Farmers Union Oil Company, who donated their unsold Christmas trees for use on the Path last year, also provided access to funding. CEO Marques Stricker submitted a grant on behalf of the path this fall. “I was compelled to submit the grant on behalf of the Riverbend Skate Path for a few reasons. It is a great story of selfless hard work to provide an opportunity for the greater good of the community. It showcases the area’s culture in an outdoor setting in its most historic form. And, it is a story that should give the entire community a great sense of pride since it started with the efforts of local residents at a time the community probably needed a pathway towards togetherness the most.”
His grant-writing efforts were successful, and the Riverbend Skate Path received a $5,000 Hometown Pride grant through CHS. This is particularly exciting, given that the grant is open to all CHS member owners across the country and they saw fit to award to it to Warroad. While he didn’t make it out on the path himself last year, he enjoyed telling friends, family, and many of the customers visiting his store from near and far about this unique concept and natural resource that our community had to offer. “It is certainly great for commerce; but more importantly, I believe it is great for families and the youth of our community. It provides a unique outdoor experience that allows for healthy activity and a nostalgia many folks are looking for in unpretentious form.”
Another grant was awarded through Roseau Electric Cooperative, Inc. for the purchase of battery-operated ice augers that are used to flood the path’s surface. Along with grants, area businesses came alongside the path to support its continued maintenance. Polaris Industries, who had lent use of their Brutus broom attachment last year allowed the crew to use this again for the second season.
Broom attachment purchased with donated funds (left) and Brutus broom donated for use by Polaris (right)
The Bobcat Toolcat donated by Ironhide Equipment for use in 2020-21
Ironhide Equipment, a regional vendor of equipment brands like Bobcat, Doosan, Vermeer and more, heard about the Riverbend Skate Path early in its first season. Sales Specialist, Chuck Regan, stated that the Path aligned with Ironhide’s goal to invest in the communities they serve. “We don’t want to just sell equipment and services; we want to be involved in the organizations that provide events and offer amenities that are so great for the community and area.” When it came to sponsoring, Regan said, “there were no second thoughts” about providing a top-of-the-line Bobcat Toolcat and necessary attachments to ensure the path could continue to be maintained. “We are excited to see what the future of the Riverbend Skate Path will be. We hope to be able to do this every year.”
Outside of the Toolcat, all the other machines used on the path are personal machines of the founders and crew. The need for another machine dedicated to the path was needed and a donation was made possible through the Marvin Employee Auction Program. This program allows employees to bid on surplus and unused equipment and furniture in a weekly auction, with proceeds donated to local area organizations. “The customary way was to simply load it all into the garbage truck and pay someone to haul it to the landfill,” explained Cary Olson, committee chair. “The auction is a win-win-win situation: ‘Doing the right thing’ - a central tenet of Marvin’s business philosophy - not only helps our environment; it promotes a better work setting with a cleaner and more organized facility. Most importantly, it generates funds to support area non-profit organizations who rely on donations to help our communities. So, when we were approached by Warroad Community Partners for assistance with the purchase of a machine to maintain the ice at the Riverbend Skate Path, the answer was obvious! The skate path is used by employees and regional residents alike, so it is a perfect fit.”
Other area businesses have come alongside the skate path in different ways. Craig Kennedy, one of the path’s founders, is owner of Craig’s Collision and Warroad Rentals and has donated a variety of machines and attachments for use on the path. Hill’s Country Greenhouse of Bemidji donated all their unsold Christmas trees that line the path. One of the path’s founders, Travis Olafson, had the idea to create a memorial tree sponsorship fundraiser, where these trees could be dedicated in memory of a loved one. Lake of the Woods Coffee Company engraved the memorial placards and Marvin Home Center provided the posts needed to mark each tree. Lights were added to illuminate this “Memory Lane”. Lake of the Woods Coffee Company also has partnered to sell merchandise in their store, with a portion of the profits going to the path. More merchandise will soon be available on the path thanks to a partnership with Warroad Threads.
The Path Opens for Its Second Season
After laying plans this spring, the Riverbender Crew got to work as soon as the river froze over in December. They soon doubled the length of the skate path to 5.2 miles, which makes it the longest ice skating trail in the United States, edging out the previous unofficial record holder at 4.5 miles at the Lake Morey Ice Skating Trail in Vermont.
The path officially opened mid-December and has seen daily use since! Skaters, snowshoers, runners, and more have taken to the path, and visiting hockey teams have given it a try. “One of my favorite parts about the path is chatting with tourists that are enjoying a beer at LOWBREWCO, that came up from the cities just to experience it,” shared Lake of the Woods Brewing Company owner Eric Nerland. “Seeing the visiting hockey teams enjoying the path between games...they love it. It's been a wonderful addition to the region.” Local residents have added their own special touches to their waterfront properties, adding lighting and seating for users. Impromptu gatherings and activities are commonplace on the path and a marquee event is planned for February 5th.