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Parks, Trails & Recreation Committee – January 21, 2025 Page 3 <br /> <br />Discussion ensued regarding the last time there was a large event in Arden Hills. <br /> <br />Council Liaison Rousseau is excited about this event. She asked if spectators wear swimsuits and <br />do a cold plunge with the sauna. <br /> <br />Nick Tamble said the cold plunge with the sauna happens every Sunday from November 3-April <br />30. Wednesday has been added. People come all day on Sunday. This is catching on. He estimates <br />he sees at least seven new plungers every Sunday. <br /> <br />Council Liaison Rousseau asked if this is a non-profit organization. <br /> <br />Nick Tamble said the structure is confusing. No one owns the water. He shared the history of how <br />ice dip holes started in the Twin Cities. <br /> <br />Council Liaison Rousseau asked how many spectators they are expecting. <br /> <br />Nick Tamble said he is speculating it could be between 300-500 people. He has reached out to <br />local news stations. This will get picked up, possibly even by national news. Three Hundred <br />spectators can turn into 3,000 overnight. He has a good relationship with police. He was on the <br />Ramsey County Dive Rescue Team. He knows these guys. It isn’t mandated that EMS services <br />there but there will be an EMT and two firefighters. There will probably be an off-duty paramedic <br />there, as well. <br /> <br />Council Liaison Rousseau said the Twin Cities Gateway Visitors Bureau grants money for events <br />like this that draw people in, who might not visit Arden Hills regularly. Those funds have already <br />been allocated for this year. She said he should keep that in mind. She believes the grant application <br />opens in April. <br /> <br />Nick Tamble thinks this event will continue for at least five years. He isn’t aware of any other <br />Ramsey County parks that are equipped for this. He thinks this park makes the most sense. If an <br />event were to exceed 10,000 people, his group has control of the entire park on this event. There <br />are 400 parking spaces at the parks. He would connect with Flaherty’s and the apartment complex. <br />Agreements with those entities would be an additional 500 parking spaces. This would include <br />shuttling, similar to how the State Fair does. Volunteers will be requested to park off-site. There <br />is no charge for parking this year, but that is an option if the event grew and needed to implement <br />shuttling. <br /> <br />Committee Member Loosbrock asked if the participants are paying to join the swim. <br /> <br />Nick Tamble replied that the cost is $60 to swim a 25-meter competitive or amateur or $90 to do <br />a 50-meter, swimmers get a swim cap. Everything else will be al a carte such as hats or sweatshirts <br />and any thing else can be added in the next 30-days. <br /> <br />Committee Member Loosbrock asked if a spectator wants to dip in the ice hole would it be free. <br /> <br />Nick Tramble confirmed. He hopes people will have a donation mindset, but it will be free. When <br />he started the ice hole, he decided it would always be free. <br /> <br />Committee Member Dietz asked how it works; participants dive in and swim 25-meters?