It was noted not long ago that the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center was enjoying some of the best cross country skiing conditions in quite sometime.

Plenty of snow with little ice and wind allowed for a nice blanket of snow on the center that allowed for great skiing conditions, and now the Nature Center along with the Austin Parks and Recreation Board are trying to open the opportunity of skiing to kids.

Every Thursday through Feb. 26, kids under the age of 15 can come out to the Nature center and enjoy free ski rental from 3 to 6 p.m.

It marks a broad effort to get kids involved in what the outdoors offers, even in the winter months.

“We want to get kids outdoors,” said Alex Watson, Nature Center intern.

“The free skiing is really giving kids incentive because it doesn’t cost that much money. This will get more people that wouldn’t necessarily try it.”

The offer is made even better by the fact that those under 15 don’t need ski permits.

The idea came about a month ago at an Izaak Walton League meeting in looking for ways to get kids more involved with the outdoors. Nature Center executive director and naturalist Larry Dolphin credits Ikes member Steve Williams with the idea. A week later Dolphin had it before the Parks and Rec Board.

“We’ll see how it goes and try to get some kids out,” Dolphin said.

Dolphin said that interest generated now adds to greater involvement later. In his mind there’s no sense in making something like that unattainable.

“We want to make it as easy as possible for people to get out and try it,” Dolphin said.