Colder weather creates new opportunities for Calgarians to enjoy park spaces and remain active throughout the winter. The City offers a variety of winter park activities for Calgarians to try and enjoy, many that are free and require minimal equipment.
In addition to outdoor rinks and cross-country ski trails, Calgarians can also enjoy the following winter park activities in select locations:
• Ice trails
• Crokicurl
• Ice bikes
Ice Trails
Ice trails are a free and fun activity for Calgarians available from December to mid-March (weather dependent).
There are two City ice trails:
• North Glenmore Park – A 730 metre ice skating trail connected to a skating rink.
• Bowness Park – A 1.6-kilometre skating trail with rental ice bikes.
The following equipment is allowed on ice trails:
• Ice skates (figure skates and hockey skates).
• Helmets (encouraged).
• Skating aids.
• Hockey sticks and nets, toboggans, and sleds are not allowed on the ice trails.
Calgarians can check on the status (open or closed) of ice trails before they go by visiting calgary.ca/icetrails.
Crokicurl
Try out Canada’s newest winter pastime! Crokicurl is a fun new outdoor sport that combines two Canadian favourites–Crokinole and curling. Crokicurl is a large-scale version of the Crokinole board game combined with curling.
The objective of the game is to score the most points by shooting a small curling rock into the centre button (20 points) and trying to position the rocks to stay within the highest scoring circle at the end of each round (red circle = 15 points, white circle = 10 points, blue circle = 5 points).
The only equipment needed is the curling stones which are provided at the site during crokicurl rink opening hours.
Park visitors are asked to:
• Stay off the ice while others are throwing rocks.
• Ensure you do not throw rocks too hard, so as to reduce risk to other players and prevent damage to the rocks.
Crokicurl is available at Bowness Park and North Glenmore Park. Before you go, find out when it is available by visiting https://www.calgary.ca/parks/activities/crokicurl.html.
Ice Bikes
Ice bikes offer a safe, stable alternative for all ages and skill levels to enjoy outdoor skating at Bowness Park. If you’re not a strong skater, you can still join in and have fun on the ice. Please refer to the Bowness Park Skate Shop to confirm rental availability at Calgary.ca/icebikes.
• Ice bikes are a bicycle with the front wheel replaced with skates and the back wheel is surrounded by skates. With a wide base, you don’t even have to balance. Just pedal and steer as if you’re riding a normal bike. Ice bikes are single speed. To brake, pedal backwards.
• Helmets are mandatory for those under 18-years-old and strongly recommended for all ice bike users.
• Skaters on the lagoon must yield to ice bike users and only one person can be on the ice bike at a time.
Ice conditions change with the weather. The lagoon and ice trail may close without notice due to poor conditions or maintenance needs. Visit calgary.ca/rinks to confirm availability before you go.
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