Winter sport enthusiasts excited by snowy weather hitting Manitoba

After a stretch of mild temperatures, flurries have finally entered the forecast for much of southern Manitoba. The wintery weather is being welcomed by many, especially those who’ve been waiting to take part in some outdoor activities, such as cross-country skiing.

According to the Cross Country Ski Association of Manitoba (CCSAM), the trails at Windsor Park Nordic Centre are almost ready to open to the public.

“We’re aiming to open on Friday this week,” said centre manager Laurie Penton.

Penton said this year marks the latest start to the season since the CCSAM took over the centre’s operations more than 20 years ago.

“Now with this fresher snow, everyone’s going to be excited to be able to ski the whole network, which is over 10 kilometres of trails,” Penton said.

Assiniboine Park is also preparing its passageways for the public.

“We need a little more snow to get the ski trails groomed,” said Assiniboine Park Conservancy communications director Laura Cabak. “But fingers crossed we’ll be able to do that soon,” she added, saying the park plans to open its trails this weekend.

The park’s toboggan hill and duck pond skating rink are already up and running.

“The mild weather in December was quite enjoyable, but it made it really difficult for people to enjoy all those winter activities that they know and love,” Cabak said.

Snowmobilers are also rejoicing over the flurries. Snoman (Snowmobilers of Manitoba) said its members have been waiting anxiously to get out on the trails.

“It’s really good that we’re getting this snow right now,” said Snoman executive director Yvonne Rideout. “We have six clubs open already…and we have 10 that are preparing to open next week.”

However, the City of Winnipeg and CAA Manitoba warn the ‘winter wonderland’ can lead to dangerous driving conditions.

“How you drive in the summer is not how you drive in the winter,” said CAA Manitoba government and community relations manager Ewald Friesen. He added Manitobans should be prepared for all situations by ensuring their phone has enough battery and by having an emergency kit in their car.

"An emergency kit can have a number of things in it to help you. Blankets, water, snacks, a flashlight. It can have waterproof matches, for instance, batteries, all sorts of things to help you if the wait times are long for us to come get you or if you're in a stranded area."

The city’s streets maintenance manager Michael Cantor said drivers should also keep an eye out for snowplows.

“It’s a slow-moving system, so we’ll let it come down,” Cantor said. “But we’ll start probably plowing at night, overnight.”

According to Cantor, the lack of snow in November and December helped with the city’s snow removal budget. However, he couldn’t put a number figure to the claims.

“The impact is positive,” he said. “But numbers-wise, the year-end hasn’t been calculated so we don’t have those numbers yet.”