Like many of our readers, the Kramer family logs hundreds of windshield hours a year enroute to various competitions and activities. Within seconds of leaving the driveway, our kids don their headphones and electronic devices, remaining relatively quiet for the duration of the trip. That is, of course, until a battle for the last remaining charging cord breaks the silence.
Despite our best efforts to encourage books and conversation over device usage, my wife and I lost that battle years ago. And so, our road trips provide ample time for conversation and planning among the two of us.
Many conversations occur, and I do enjoy the chats. But I’ve also been known to sigh when my wife predictably positions her enormous three-ring, color-coded, organized and categorized planner on her lap to discuss a host of agenda items: summer vacation ideas, calendars, kids’ activities, work meetings and the lot. My wife is serious about keeping a tidy and detailed calendar.
On a recent drive home from a high school wrestling tournament in Watford City, we discussed many positive things that stood out about the community during our visit. We discussed the significant changes in the western part of the state over the past 10 to 15 years, the collective effort to capitalize on our state’s natural resources and the transformational development for the region’s communities. We admired what’s possible when resources, vision, big ideas, effective leadership and community come together to support projects that make a lasting impact. We marveled how a town of this size has become an attractive destination with top-notch amenities, infrastructure, services and venues.
Admittedly, we were envious of the Rough Rider Center in Watford City. Everyone needs to see this place. It is a multipurpose community facility. While we were there, the center not only hosted a large wrestling event, but also a youth hockey tournament, bringing in hundreds of families from multiple states and even Canada. The venue also accommodated several affordable food vendors. When our younger kids tired from being spectators, they swam in the indoor pool and waterpark – also inside the same facility!
Curious about the facility fee for a large athletic event, I checked the Rough Rider Center’s website and found all three courts in the sports arena can be rented for about $600 for a full day. This reasoable rate surely attracts events that bring people and dollars into town, creating a lasting economic impact for the region.
As our drive continued into the night, I shared other western North Dakota examples that would be featured in this “GO WEST” issue of North Dakota Living – the Medora Musical, Dickinson’s Legacy Square and the McKenzie County Ag Expo. Then, my wife wished out loud for more daylight to see the Badlands out the car window.
I signaled to mark the summer section of her enormously oversized, color-coded family planner simply, “GO WEST!”
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Josh Kramer, editor-in-chief of North Dakota Living, is executive vice president and general manager of NDAREC. Contact him at jkramer@ndarec.com.
