One of the top ways to enjoy the outdoors throughout the snowy Brunswick-area winter is to go sledding! The kids love it, and let’s face it, it’s great exercise for everyone. Looking to plan some nearby fun for the family? Or just hit with a major snowstorm that closed the schools?
Check out Brunswick’s North Park Sledding Hill at 3595 Grafton Road.
North Park is Brunswick’s largest community park. The main entrance and parking are accessed off Grafton Road. In the late 1970s, plans for the park’s initial 42.5 acres were to include baseball and soccer fields with a recreational focus.
From a lack of funds to develop the site, the natural features were recognized for their great potential and the focus switched to a “passive” park. In the mid-1980s, fifteen acres were added to the park with a donation from the State of Ohio. Since then, approximately seven acres of forest have been added because of negotiations with developers of the Woodlands subdivision and North Park Estates.
Local Brunswick residents all agree that North Park is the perfect place to go sledding this winter. It’s conveniently located and guaranteed to please everyone in the family!
Safe sledding:A few helpful tips
Choose a safe sled
Look for the following:
• A steering mechanism and brakes
• No sharp edges, cracks or missing parts
• A true sled, not substitutes like lunch trays, cardboard boxes or garbage can lid
Dress appropriately
Help keep your kids safe and warm with:
• Multiple layers of wind- and water-resistant clothing
• Helmets, which can greatly reduce the chance of head injuries
• No clothing with drawstrings or scarves, which can get wrapped around the neck.
• If you feel a scarf is essential, tuck the ends tightly into a coat, or use a neck gaiter or mask to
cover the face and neck
Look over your sleddinghill before taking off
Be sure your sledding hill is:
• Away from busy roads
• Has a long, flat area at the bottom for stopping
• Free from hazards and obstacles, such as trees, fences, ponds, rocks, poles and bare spots
• Covered in snow, not ice, because icy slopes make it hard to steer or stop safely
Be sure there’sadult supervision
• According to medical experts, most sledding injuries occur when there is no adult supervision.
• Keep an eye on all kids younger than 12 years old and co-sled with any kids younger than 5
years old.
Sled with caution
Teach your kids thefollowing sled safety rules:
• Sled sitting up and facing forward — never headfirst, facing backward or standing.
• Go down the hill one person at a time to avoid collisions.
• Never ride a sled pulled by a moving vehicle.
• Keep arms and legs inside, the sled always
• Walk up the side of the hill
• Don’t cut off or run into other sleds
