Janesville Hill Provides Free Sleds

Free sleds are provided by a hill in Janesville.

My favorite outdoor winter activity growing up was sledding. There was a great hill that was about a ten-minute walk from where my family lived. Every day after school, my friends and I would throw on our cold-weather gear, grab our sleds, and head out to that place. We would stay there until dinner time.

I remember having the right sled was key. I needed something fast but durable to be able to go off of jumps. I broke several before I found the perfect one. For Christmas one year, my uncle took me shopping for a sled. It took us all day to find the right one. When I hit the hill with it, I dominated.

Once I was in high school, I was done with sledding. The enjoyment came back when I became a father. I would take my daughter and she liked it too. Then she outgrew it. We recently talked about trying it out again this winter.

Of course, with everything going on, outside activities are the best choice to keep busy. The snowy weather has finally arrived and there is plenty to go sledding.

Recently, I was talking to a couple of friends with younger children. They were both talking about how difficult it is to find sleds in the stores. They are all sold out. I think many people in the area had the same idea. My other buddy said he and his kids were using plastic garbage can lids. That is a pretty creative idea though not ideal.

I think there may be a solution to that problem. It is up in Janesville, Wisconsin. I believe it might be worth the drive north across the border.

According to gazettextra.com,

"Sledders at Riverside Park can leave their pizza pans and makeshift toboggans at home thanks to a new resource offered by the city of Janesville. A little free sled shed has been erected at the sledding hill at Riverside Park. The shed gives sledders access to sleds in case they don’t have one or came unprepared for a glide down the hill."

I love the idea. I might have to go check that out. Especially, since I do not have a sled of my own.

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