KALAMAZOO, Mich. — At least 500 people came out to Echo Valley in Kalamazoo County on New Year's Day to experience the newly renovated winter sports park under its new ownership.
The turnout marked an impressive first day for the family now running the beloved local destination.
And Echo Valley looks different after extensive renovations.
The owners thought it would just need a fresh coat of paint. Termites ruined those plans. Hank Avink, the owner who did most of the renovations, told me that at one point you could poke your finger through the wall.
"I haven't worked this hard in years. Basically since October 10, I haven't had a day off since. It's been 12 hour plus days. Last 30 days I've had more 18 hour days than 12 hour days. It's been a lot," Avink said.
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Families embrace the improved winter sports park with enthusiasm.
"There's like some bumps, and when I sit on my stomach, when I go on my stomach, it gives me adrenaline," said 11-year-old Josiah Gummo.
"It's pretty fun, sometimes the toboggan can be shocking, but it's worth it," Ava Calloway said.
General Manager Floy Latham oversees the daily operations and has seen the community's positive response firsthand.
"It's been emotional. We put a lot of hours into renovating, clearing the land," Latham said. "With all those hours of work, to see people enjoying it so much— it's just thrilling. It's awesome."
The renovation process involved extensive remodeling of the lodge. Workers also cleared and reopened all the toboggan lanes.
The hard work has proven worthwhile for the new owners Sarah and Hank Avink, particularly when they hear community members discussing the reopening.
Sarah Avink was even the talk of the local grocery store. She found that out firsthand.
"I was just at Walmart this morning getting some more supplies, because we sold through more than we expected — and two workers were saying, hey did you hear near owners opened Echo Valley? And I said, that's us! And they were really excited. They were in their 60s and 70s, and used to come here as kids," Sarah Avink said.
Ten-year-old Owen Young estimated his toboggan speed—with facts and figures that most kids seem to favor these days. Six, seven.
"67 miles per hour," Young said when asked about his speed. "I'm 67% sure."
Fellow 10-year-old Remi Phillips summed up the overall experience simply.
"It's like super fun. There's tons to do," Phillips said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
