Warmer Weather Bad For Local Parks

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 While many are enjoying the mild and dry winter, others are hoping for just the opposite.

The warmer weather is preventing parks from having many of their activities.

Brooke Christopherson has lived in the area for around five years.
This is her first time experiencing a winter this mild and is taking advantage of it by going to a downtown shop with her co-workers

“I don’t mind the cold, but I’m actually enjoying the weather, I’ve been able to take my dog out on a ton of walks so she’s loving it,” said Christopherson of Moorhead.

Matt Bengston also likes the warm-up.

“My car hasn’t gotten stuck once this year, that’s my biggest thing with winter, I usually get stuck a few times,” said Bengston of Fargo.

While there are many in the valley who have been enjoying the mild winter, not everyone is happy.

“We’ve had snow, we’ve had no snow, we’ve had a combination of both and we’ve had short bouts of this but this has just really been unprecedented since I’ve been here,” said Fargo Park District Recreations Director Clay Whittlesey.

Whittlesey has worked for the Park District for 25 years and says this winter is very different from others.
Skating rinks have been closed for the last two days in Fargo and Moorhead.
Dike West is closed for construction not that it would be used much anyway this winter.

“A lot of the younger kids really enjoy that. I think maybe the adults maybe enjoy the nice weather a little better than the kids,” said Whittlesey.

Christopherson enjoys snowboarding but doesn’t have hopes to do it soon.

Even though there aren’t many winter activities to do at the moment, the weather is offering a warmer time with friends outside.

The Fargo Park District grooms their cross country Ski trails if they have a minimum of four inches of snow.