Ben Hladun stands on the old Angus Mirasty School land where he created a cross-country ski trail. (Ian Gustafson/paNOW Staff)

By Ian Gustafson

Ski Trails

Prince Albert man creates cross-country ski trail to stay active amid pandemic

Feb 3, 2021 | 1:43 PM

Amid the global pandemic, options for physical activity and playing sports you love are slim but a Prince Albert man has found a way to stay active.

Ben Hladun transformed a piece of open land at the 500 block of 20 Street W., where the Angus Mirasty School once stood, into a cross-country ski trail because he wanted somewhere closer to ski rather than going to the trails at Little Red River Park.

“I thought this is perfect for me, this is all I need. I don’t need to go to Little Red and go for an hour in the bush, although that’s where I usually go,” he said.

The winding trail takes the 72-year-old around 35 minutes at a slow pace to complete rather than going around the perimeter of the land, which he said would take 10 minutes. He created it by packing it down with his skis and made it into two parallel trails.

He added no one has used his trails, which is disappointing, but he’s had plenty of people asking him about it and have said they’ll use it in the future.

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Even though he is a casual cross-country skier he said he’s noticed a lot more people out on the trails in Little Red River Park. Hladun works out at home but used to get his exercise at the Alfred Jenkins Field House. Because of the pandemic he wanted to do something different.

“Just this year I said ‘Why don’t I get off my ass and do something rather than just staying in the house and not wanting to go to the field house?’” he said.

He built the trail three weeks ago, has been skiing multiple times a week since then, and feels comfortable doing it.

“At 72, one or two loops can wipe me out,” he said.

“I thought there was enough people around here to see me doing it daily it would get them interested too but nothing ever happened,” he added. “It’s really hard to say, if this is mentioned now probably a lot would come out here and try it just because it’s getting crowded down in Little Red.”

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Ian.gustafson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @iangustafson12