It may be cold outside, but the Parks and Recreation Department's recent decision to no longer allow skating on the frozen ponds in city parks clearly has some people hot under the collar.

"The city is saying it wants people to be fit, but they're taking away something we already have (to accomplish that), said Susan Imler, one of several Lakeside-area residents angered by the department's plan to save money and reduce liability by eliminating the longstanding tradition of allowing skating at Lakeside, Reservoir and Swinney parks. "This will impact an asset of Fort Wayne neighborhoods, something that helps to keep the city strong. This was a way to meet your neighbors."

But to Deputy Parks Directer Perry Ehresman -- an old pond-hockey player himself -- the move is a regrettable but necessary response to safety concerns, declining use and ever-increasing financial challenges despite the department's $15 million annual budget.

"In the 1970s, we'd be open (for skating) 25 or 30 days a year. But with warmer winters, we've been open a lot less. You need five inches of good ice able to hold hundreds of people. You need to check (the thickness) every day and unless you keep the snow off, it doesn't freeze properly. You need to make sure it stays safe through the marginal (weather) days," he explained -- something that requires not only specialized equipment but personnel that can now be diverted to other uses.

It's not an isolated decision. As the Associated Press reported recently, several municipalities around the country -- including Columbia City just west of Fort Wayne -- have curbed or eliminated sledding in parks because of the kind of potential expense now faced by Sioux City, Iowa and Omaha, Neb., each of which paid more than $2 million each to people injured by sledding into immovable objects. Fort Wayne isn't considering that, Ehresman said, although the city has erected barriers and taken other steps to improve sledding safety. He could not say how much money or man-hours the department will save because of its decision,

Allen County parks have never allowed skating because their ponds are spring-fed, and the current makes ice safety unreliable, officials say.

But none of that consoles Imler and many of her neighbors, who say they and their children enjoyed skating and, in some cases, intentionally bought homes near Lakeside Park to take advantage of what has been a decades-long winter tradition. Until now.

"I'm upset. People have been skating on the ponds for decades. What's changed?" asked John Speckhard, who in the past had complained about ponds remaining closed despite apparently solid ice. "I was calling when you could drive a truck across the ice. There's just no substitute for neighborhood activity. It was a gem, and now it's gone."

"On the surface this may look innocent, but it's a matter of principle. This is a quality of life issue," agreed Sara Kruger.

And although there is an ice rink in Headwaters Park just a few blocks away, it's just not the same, insisted Lori Miller. "At Headwaters, you have to pay, skate in a circle and there's no hockey. The kids used to walk to Lakeside in their skateguards," she said.

Ehresman said the department ended skating at Franke Park years ago because the large lake there did not reliably freeze to a safe thickness, adding that the city regularly reviews its recreational programs in an attempt to direct resources to the most-popular programs. Supervised playground activities used to be offered in 40 spots, he said, but were all eliminated before six were restored.

The residents say neighborhood associations representing the area near Lakeside Park may get involved, and if they can't convince parks officials to change their minds that still won't be the end of it. Perhaps the department could create an outdoor rink in the park, of freeze the tennis courts to provide a makeshift skating area. Matt Geyman said residents would be willing to volunteer their time so they can be trained to monitor and maintain the frozen pond, relieving the city of the burden.

Ehresman, however, wasn't sure that would be possible, in part because of liability issues.

Fort Wayne's parks are a community treasure, and residents' passion and willingness to preserve that treasure indicates some sort of compromise is not only possible, but needed. Even without permission to skate, after all, the ponds will have to be monitored -- such as when, according to Lori Miller, a police officer apologized while chasing people off the ice.

For now, however, kids who once got valuable free exercise and enjoyment skating will have to do something else.

"They'll be in the basement playing video games," lamented Mary Speckhard.

This column is the commentary of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The News-Sentinel. Email Kevin Leininger at kleininger@news-sentinel.com or call him at 461-8355.