If you’re into enjoying the great outdoors all winter long, good news! The Winnipeg Trails Association’s (WTA) Winter:Peg initiative has restarted.
This means that a groomed trail and portable Mobile Equipment Library is now in your area of the city. Along with the mobile library, there’s also a convenient permanent location at The Forks.
The Winter:Peg website offers you up-to-date information on conditions for everything from cross-country skiing to skating to snowshoeing, and yes, even biking for you hardcore cyclists out there. The website also informs you of when the WTA’s Mobile Equipment Library will be in your area.
That’s right, you can try cross-country skiing or skating or whatever strikes your fancy! For free! Make the most of snow while it’s here and fall in love with winter all over again. Besides skis and skates, the mobile library carries snowshoes and kicksleds and wheelblades for wheelchairs that you can easily try out in a park near your home.
Mobile libraries typically take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday all winter — with by-invitation or special events happening during the week (like the women and two-spirited only events on Wednesdays!). Equipment is first come first served, and lineups are rare. Social distancing guidelines obviously apply.
If you plan to attend a mobile library, RSVP on their website first. If you fill out their form before visiting a mobile library location, it gives them a good idea of what kind of gear you’ll need and helps them ensure they have the right gear available when you get there. This also helps them measure the impact of this project and keeps them going year after year!
The Mobile Equipment Library has been made possible by you. The Winnipeg Trails Association wants you to know that they are humbled by the generosity of Winnipeggers and grateful for the donations of skis, sleds, skates and all kinds of winter equipment to this project. By donating any unused skis you have to their “Icicle Garden” winter equipment library, they can continue to grow their rental library of winter equipment.
All equipment is offered on a sliding rental scale, so those who can afford it will see their donations go to supporting trail building and ski access this winter. Those who can’t pay will still get to make the most of winter through your generosity. Win win!
You can even store your underused skis and continue to access them. Just donate them, book some time, and they’ll wax them and simply make sure they are used more often. Anything helps! If you want to donate equipment to this initiative, go to winnipegtrails.ca to schedule an equipment drop-off time.
Do you want to try something closer to home? Visit their website to find out how to make ice candles, a snow hut known as a quinzee, or a snowman. And since we’re on the topic of snowmen, The Last Snowman Contest is now open in Manitoba until March 21.
The Last Snowman Contest was created by former Winnipegger Maria den Oudsten. The snowman is used as an icon and warning for the urgent global warming problem. Mrs. den Oudsten will award cash prizes to individuals and groups: $2000 for the first-place winner, $1000 for the runner-up, $1000 for a group build and five $200 to the next-best five snowmen.
It’s easy to participate. Just make a snowman in your yard or a public space, take a photo of it and post it on social media with #lastsnowmanwinnipeg. Post on Facebook or Instagram. If you don’t use social media, participants can email a digital photo image to lastsnowmanwinnipeg@gmail.com with their full contact details.
Here’s a fun idea: Ski or skate or cycle out to a cool location and build a snowman along one of the Winnipeg Trails Association’s groomed trails! Take a photo and cross-post.
The Winnipeg Trails Association is a non-profit organization with a goal of developing a sustainable community, with a primary focus on active transportation. They believe that transportation is a right for all, and that nature has a right to exist, especially within our city, and that streets should be shared by everyone, not just cars.
Would you like to volunteer for this worthy initiative or other WTA projects? Email Kenneth at kenneth@winnipegtrails.ca and find out how you can get involved.
Visit WinterPeg.org or follow on social media at #Winterpeg for all kinds of information on new ski trails, grooming conditions, skate, ski, snowshoe loans and rentals, ice skating rinks, ideas of things to make in winter and much, much more.