Dec. 19, 2012 | CREBNow

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

While the winter snow can be the bane of Calgary drivers' existence, it can also provide hours of family fun and entertainment. With so much to do in Calgary during those few months when the snow flies, the CREB® Real Estate News has selected six activities ranging from skating on the Bowness Park Lagoon to making maple syrup candy at Fort Calgary.

Nothing says Canadiana like strapping on the skates and gliding across an outdoor rink. Calgary has five City run rinks including the Bowness Park Lagoon and Olympic Plaza as well as 34 volunteer run rinks dotted throughout the city. If indoor skating is more up your alley, the City has 12 arenas with 19 rinks for sports such as hockey, ringette and broomball as well as public skating for all ages. Visit www.calgary.ca or call your local rink to check out schedules and pricing.

Take the family out to historic Fort Calgary for a day to celebrate the winter carnival taking place February 18. Free admission includes carnival games, crafts and a treasure hunt taking place indoors and winter games, wagon rides and maple syrup candymaking — weather permitting. The Winter Carnival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information visit www.fortcalgary.com.
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Whatever quadrant of the city you may live in, once the snow falls you can bust out the old tire tube or Crazy Carpet or toboggan and hit the hill for some sledding. Several City parks have hills good for sledding including Deerfoot Athletic Park, Prairie Winds Park, Glendale Park, Stanley Park, Erin Woods Park, Confederation Park and Hawkwood Pond. The City encourages tobogganers to wear helmets for safety.

Whether you like to navigate the moguls on your skis or shred some powder on your snowboard, Calgary is close to several powder-laden hills. In the City, Canada Olympic Park has several opportunities for ski and snowboard lessons as well as cross-country ski programs. Within two-hours of the city limits, ski and snowboard enthusiasts and carve it up at Nakiska, Sunshine, Lake Louise or Castle Mountain to name a few.

Between Nov. 23 and Jan. 5 the Calgary Zoo is decorated with more than a million Christmas lights during Zoo Lights. While wandering throughout the zoo checking out the brightly lit sights, attendees can sip on hot chocolate and munch on popcorn balls while warming up by an outdoor fire pit, speaking directly to Santa at the North Pole and participate in this year's new Penguin Plunge Kids Zone.

For ski enthusiasts who don't want to go barreling down a hill, they can take in one of the City's crosscountry trails. Try the groomed tracks of Shaganappi Point Golf Course, Confederation Golf Course, Maple Ridge Golf Course or Canada Olympic Park. To make a day of it, cross country skiers can also trek to the Nordic Centre in Canmore or to West Bragg Creek.

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