With so many restrictions on indoor activities, towns across the area looked to the great outdoors for getting people to enjoy some time together.
Moosomin
At Moosomin Regional Park, ice fishing was popular and skating took place on the frozen lake before any major snowfalls
In the town of Moosomin, an outdoor rink and outdoor skate path were popular all winter
“We had to come up with options for outdoor recreation because of the Covid restrictions, and it went over well," Rec director Mike Schwean said.
This is the first year that Schwean tried the skate path and hopes it becomes a yearly tradition.
“Once we get one year under our belts I am sure the second one will be a lot easier,” said Schwean.
Esterhazy
Brenda Redman, who serves as Esterhazy’s recreation director added a skate way and an additional outdoor rink at the town’s regional park.
“We already had one outdoor rink and we added another one right besides it, plus a skate way all the way around our regional park camp ground,” said Redman.
Kipling
In Kipling, Alan Batters will host an outdoor rink for the second year on a piece of property he owns in town. The rink was first introduced as part of the winter carnival last year.
“They were looking for an outdoor rink and they approached me because I had this property across from my house. We did the rink last year and the feedback was great. A lot of families where out there on Christmas eve, so we thought we would do it again this year,” said Batters.
With the rink‘s success last year, the only way to top it was to go bigger.
“This year we are doing a bit bigger and bit better. We actually put the lines in and goal creases and we added more lights and more fire pits and benches just to accommodate more people and to do it safely with all the COVID-19 restrictions and just get people out side,” said Batters.
The town does have an indoor rink, but the protocols in place, really limit the amount of people that can enjoy it at a time.
“Once the weather cools off a bit we will open to the public. You can have lots of kids that would not normally go to the rink that are out skating,” said Batters.
“It is very informal. You can’t have any organized events, you can’t say you are having a hockey game. It is just an open thing for the public. The lights are on 24/7. Last new years eve we had people out there past midnight,” said Batters.
To keep the ice on the rink nice, Batters even bought a Zamboni.
Virden
With Manitoba in Code Red lockdown for most of the winter, there is not much that Rec Director Laurel Richter can offer the residents the Virden area, but there are still walking trails.
“We re in code red, so can’t even open our outdoor rink. It is quite different once you cross the border,”
The walking trail is at the local golf course. “I actually turned the golf cart path into a walking track . That is new to the community, but that is basically all we can do,” said Richter.
