SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Summerside’s outdoor winter activities are gearing up - but Mother Nature hasn’t exactly been co-operative to date.
As part of the city’s Active Winter program, city crews annually maintain two outdoor ice surfaces, a handful of sliding hills and skiing, snowshoeing and nordic walking trails through Rotary Friendship Park and along the boardwalk.
JP Desrosiers, Summerside’s director of community services, said his team’s efforts on these projects are largely weather-dependent, so they’re keeping a close eye on the forecasts.
“Our equipment is ready to go and our staff are at the ready, we just now have to wait for some cooler temperatures,” said Desrosiers.
“Anything above that it basically turns into a slushy mess.”
City staff are waiting for, ideally, a couple of days of temperatures in the -6 C to -10 C range before they can flood their two outdoor ice surfaces, which are the Schurman Park rink and the Queen Elizabeth Park oval.
There also isn’t enough snow yet to build the sliding hills, but what snow is on the ground is being groomed in the Rotary Park, Heather Moyse Park and in the coming days along the waterfront.
“We encourage people to get out and use those facilities,” said Desrosiers.
The city also has an inventory of snowshoes, nordic walking poles and skates available for rent through the Credit Union Place office. There is a $10 deposit required to sign out any of the equipment.
Toni Geary, Summerside’s community activities co-ordinator, encouraged anyone interested in the city’s Active Winter program to check out the website, where there is a schedule of upcoming events.
“Our Active Winter program is actually quite broad. We do everything from moonlight snowshoeing and silver social programs, to outdoor family skates,” said Geary.
“It’s for all different ages, all different abilities.”
