Senior Skiip Day

 Originally Published Dec. 2012

         Assignment:  Write a “Letter to the Editor”.  (Note – this was not published in the Paper.)

Remember Senior Skip Day?  In case you don’t, let me remind you.  Seniors were “allowed” to designate one day at the end of the school year to skip all their classes and go somewhere to party and play as a group.  Back in the ‘60’s when I was in high school, the principal and others in authority would give this day a “wink and a nod.”   And, then life would go on as usual after that.  For Skip Day, seniors were considered special.  In those days, younger students looked up to the seniors and couldn’t wait to be 17 or 18 when they would be thought of as unique and exceptional because they were seniors.

Fast forward 45 or 50 years.  That senior in high school is now a real senior.  And, I’m wondering where in Coon Rapids can the seniors of today gather together as a group to party or play.  Sure, we have the Civic Center located in the City Offices where various groups of seniors can meet.  We have bingo, crafts, cards and games, dancing, book club, day trips and the wonderful Creative Writing Group, just to mention a few.  I only just discovered all that the city offers its seniors this past winter when I joined the Creative Writing Group.  We meet in a very small room and while I haven’t joined any other activity, I can see that there really isn’t much space allowed for all that goes on during the day.  

What I’d like to see is a huge building with many different-sized rooms for meetings and activities.  But, most of all – I’d like the opportunity to swim in a large pool!  I understand that a senior center and pool were ALMOST built along Coon Rapids Boulevard where the old Target Store and Goodwill used to be.  But, the hockey arena won out instead.  Seems the City didn’t have enough money to support both skating and the seniors.  

This is what I don’t understand.  There already was a place for skating, called Cook Ice Arena.  The City also owns a sheet of ice at the Schwan’s Super Rink in Blaine.  Sure, Cook Arena may be old.  But, it was still usable.  We may be old.  But, we are still usable.  How many hockey players would use the new rink during the day?  Aren’t the majority in school?  I think the arena would probably be sitting empty during the school day!  With the huge number of baby boomers now in their 60’s, I’m sure we outnumber the hockey players.     

Couldn’t the City have authorized a new senior center and pool FIRST?  The center and pool would not have to be dedicated to only seniors.  It could be a real community center.  People of all ages would be using the center and pool morning, noon, and night – all year long. Tearing down Cook Arena could have waited until the economy improved.   Why do the non-skaters of every age have to wait?

It looks to me like the seniors got another Skip Day – only this time, it was the City Council who skipped us over.  I don’t feel special, unique or exceptional any more.  Does anyone else feel this way?