Discover winter at Lawless Park during February
Published 2:48 am Wednesday, February 4, 2004
By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
A month of doldrum-demolishing "Discover Winter" Saturday nights begins Feb. 7 at Cass County's largest park, Dr. T.K. Lawless southeast of Vandalia.
And if you're keeping score at home, today marks the halfway point to spring.
Weather permitting, there will be frosty fun activities Feb. 7, 14, 21 and 28 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the park, 15122 Monkey Run St.
Cost is a nominal $1 per person, with 3 years old and younger admitted free.
Activities include tubes for tubing on the lighted hill (or bring your own tubes) and cross-country skiing on three miles of lighted, groomed trails (with your own equipment).
Bender Electric of Cassopolis and Midwest Energy donated a floodlight to illuminate the sliding hill.
Refreshments to take the chill off (in case you've already spent the day in downtown Dowagiac at the Ice Time Festival) include hot chocolate, coffee, popcorn and hot dogs available for purchase while warming up by the fire.
Once upon a time the parks department discovered winter on one night each February.
The event petered out in the mid-1990s until Parks Director Scott Wyman revived it as a weekly celebration in 2003.
The event helps him show county residents the value of the park system all year around.
To reach Lawless Park from Dowagiac and Cassopolis, take M-60 2 1/2 miles east of Vandalia to Lewis Lake Road. Turn south on Lewis Lake to Monkey Run and follow park directional signs. If snow conditions make discovery questionable, call ahead at 269/476-2730 or e-mail Wyman at scottwyman@beanstalk.net.