(LEWES, Del.)- What many say has been a tradition is now a topic being debated.
Because there are no hills in Lewes, many head to Cape Henlopen State Park to sled on the dunes.
A group of teens from Sussex Tech spent a snow day there, sledding on the dunes. The teens uploaded a video of their snow day adventures on Youtube. The video went viral, locally.
"We received information that there were social media posts and pictures of juveniles sliding here at Cape Henlopen," said Wayne Kline, Delaware State Parks Chief of Enforcement. "On the front of the dune going down towards the ocean."
Resident's say sledding on the dunes has been happening for decades.
"The past 45 years we went over and sledded in the state park," said Randy Burton, Lewes resident.
State park officials awknowledge it's been a tradition but it is still breaking park rules.
"Number one, it's not safe," said Kline. "And then when you factor in the environmental effect it has with the dunes, we just can't have this activity here."
One Lewes resident doesn't understand why a big deal about sledding on the dunes is being made.
"If everybody thinks this is such a problem, then why would Jim Ford be out there on that dune three years ago, with 50 other people sledding?"
It may be hard to see any damage being done while sliding down the snow covered dunes. You can see the damage that has been done, once the snow has melted. Whether or not it will cause long-term damage is the issue being debated.
"I don't see what harm it's gonna do," said Bill Cowan, Lewes resident.
"It's been done for years and years and it's never done any damage."
Park officials say, the dunes are a vital part to beach. They help slow erosion.
"The dunes are protected for a reason," said Kline. "This is the coastal defense for storms, bad weather, high tides."
Park officials say, the incident is an active and on-going investigation. Those caught sledding on the dunes could face up to a $250 fine.