Outdoor recreation options like the Kinsmen Ski and Snowboard Centre at Little Red River Park have been in high demand this year. (Teena Monteleone/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

Pandemic past times

Council looks to create new winter recreation options

Dec 15, 2020 | 2:02 PM

Faced with what could be a long lonely pandemic winter, Prince Albert city council is eager to create new outdoor recreation options, like additional skating rinks or sledding hills.

Coun. Ted Zurakowski raised the need for more outlets for kids and families during Monday night’s city council meeting, saying he was genuinely concerned about the mental health of residents amid the pandemic.

“I’d like us to see some more things that we could do in our community during the winter for our families, and our kids who are going stir crazy from being in the basement [and] who aren’t in school anymore,” he said.

It wasn’t the first time in the past few weeks that council has discussed creating additional winter recreation offerings. At a November executive meeting, councillors asked if snow cleared from streets could be used to build sledding hills in the city. City administration explained the snow would be too dirty and contaminated with salt and sand.

On Monday night, councillors were enthusiastic about placing a renewed focus on implementing new recreation offerings. They voted unanimously to have all city departments come up with ideas for consideration. If proposals came in at a reasonable cost, they authorized the city manager to approve them immediately.

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“Imagine what Christmas Eve would look like with these neighbourhood snow hills… with these skating rinks that popped in the neighbourhoods and at the Little Red River Park,” Zurakowski said.

City working with community clubs to open outdoor rinks

Meanwhile, a standby of outdoor recreation in Prince Albert is set to return imminently.

Director of community services, Jody Boulet told paNOW the city is working with community clubs to open the city’s ten outdoor rinks. He explained if it weren’t for the recent warm weather, the facilities would already be operational.

“We’re working with each of them right now to determine the opening date,” he said. “Now that we are into the cooler weather they’ll be making some headway.”

New guidelines limiting outdoor gatherings to 10 people will also be incorporated into the rinks’ operational plans, added Boulet.

The city is also considering compiling a list of recreation options available around Prince Albert, including those provided by outside organizations. That inventory could be released later this week.

“That might be beneficial for the public to go to one location to see all of the different opportunities that do exist without having to search them out on an individual basis,” Boulet explained.

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom