Many beaming faces can be seen at the Buntven in Deurne on Sunday afternoon. It is one of the few places in the province where you can skate on natural ice on Sundays and winter enthusiasts take advantage of this. New memories are made, but many visitors also recall memories from the past. “I’m still doing well,” Anja laughs.
For Maarten from Aalst, it has been a few years since he stood on the frozen fen in Deurne. He has only exchanged his skates for a sled with which he lets his daughters Nora and Suze slide across the ice. “I’m a real pilot, so skating is not for me, but I can push. It’s a lot of fun with the whole family,” he says.
Nora and Suze completely agree with that. “It’s a lot of fun. When dad pushes I go very fast,” Suze shouts loudly. She suddenly doesn’t mind the fact that one of her skating boots is broken. “But I can do both, sledding and skating,” she assures.
Her sister Nora can have fun on her skates. “It is the very first time on the fen. Here I see a lot of trees and that is not the case inside,” she says. Not only her sister and father can see her tricks, but mom, grandpa and grandma are also there. “Mommy brought hot chocolate,” Nora beams.
Raf from Helmond has prepared well to enter the natural ice. “I just sharpened my skates. I’m looking forward to it, because I love skating,” he says. A group of boys are having a very fanatical afternoon and are playing ice hockey on the fen.
It is the first time skating on natural ice for Anja’s son from Deurne. “I think it’s easier inside, but here you have a lot of space and I’ve had my own skates since last week,” he says.
The fen is familiar territory for his mother. “I’ve been coming here since I was very little. It’s been a long time, but I wanted to try if I still dare and I’m still doing well,” Anja laughs.
Last week, mother and son came to see if the ice was thick enough. “But then it creaked a lot, now it feels better. The bumps are a bit less now and then, but we have already made eight laps. It is wonderful,” says Anja.
A father who comes to skate with his daughter has also already made a lap around the large fen. “We used to go skating as soon as there was ice. That hasn’t really happened in recent years, but the feeling of the past is coming back.”
