CHESTER — Phirum Pheak began to spend more time outside in 2020 like many people did, as the world shut down due to the spread of COVID-19.
A blast of late winter cold had frozen Bear Creek at Olmsted County’s Chester Woods Park.
“It was just clear and smooth,” Pheak recalled.
Pheak returned with a pair of ice skates and enjoyed an activity he used to love, but had done maybe once in the last decade.
“It’s what a lot of people did during the pandemic,” Pheak said. “We went internal and found what made us happy and we kind of reinvigorated those things.”
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Pheak decided not to keep his happiness internal. In 2021, Pheak returned to the spot and kept it groomed for other ice skaters to enjoy if they found it.
They did.
Traci Westcott / Post Bulletin
Shannon Gladkowski brought her family out to the ice Sunday for the second time this season. She learned of the spot from her friends, the Bentall family, who enjoyed the spot after discovering it last year.
“It’s fun to be out here, it’s kind of tucked out of the way of the wind,” she said. “People seem to be adding to it.”
Pheak said he chose the spot in part because it is tucked away and surrounded by trees.
“You’re surrounded by nature out there,” Pheak said.
Bentalls enjoyed time on the ice Sunday too. Andrew Bentall set up a warming tent and helped clear some of the ice.
Daniel Bentall, 10, practiced his hockey skills and pulled a sled around the ice giving his friends rides.
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“I like skating because it makes you glide and you feel like a bird, kind of,” Daniel said.
John Molseed / Post Bulletin
Daniel brought some water from home to spray on a section of ice to smooth it over.
“I hope we can bring some more water later so we can make this more slippery which is a good thing,” he said.
Pheak said maintaining the spot takes about an hour of work unless there’s heavy snow. He returned to the spot on the west side of the creek and swept the snow from the ice Thursday. It took from about 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to clear the area that day.
John Molseed / Post Bulletin
Knowing other people might use it, even if he never meets them, helped motivate Pheak through the job.
“When you find yourself empathizing with the people who are going to use it, you can push snow a lot longer,” Pheak said.
John Molseed / Post Bulletin
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