City of Winnipeg’s Winter Leisure Guide full of affordable activities around the city
There’s lots of great things to do in Winnipeg – especially in the winter. While most of us know where to find favourite outdoor skating rink, taboggoning hill, or what general fun can be found at The Forks, there are endless other events and activities going on in the city that you only need to look as far as the City of Winnipeg’s Winter Leisure Guide to discover.
The guide includes information on countless different events, activities, classes, and programs that are all being offered throughout the winter months at different recreation centres and organizations in Winnipeg. Part of the guide is organized by age group (pre-school, children, youth, adults, and seniors), so it’s easy to see what’s available for either yourself, or your children. The guide also includes a directory of all Winnipeg community and recreation centres, as well as information on how to register for any of the programs that are being advertised.
After browsing through the guide, here are a list of great affordable (or free!) events coming up that might be worth checking out:
- Cooking classes: Throughout January, February, and March, learn how to create a new dish that you can serve up at home with classes at the St. John’s Leisure Centre, Arthur A Leach School, and the Fort Rouge Leisure Centre. For often less than $40, you can get hands-on training with an instructor on how to make dishes from around the world – like Asian curry dishes, French soups, and Nigerian cuisine.
- Cross Country Skiing:Kildonan Park, Harbourview Recreation Complex, St. Vital Park, La Barriere Park, and Windsor Park Golf Courseall offer regularly-maintained cross country skiing trails that are free for use to the public. Most include warmup shelters and washrooms, bbq pits and even a concession stands. Don’t have your own cross country skis? Harbourview Recreation Complex and La Barriere Park offer equipment rentals.
- Free swim: Swimming is an excellent way to exercise – especially if you’re overweight, have a physical disability, or are a senior. From January 3 – March 11, over a dozen indoor pools across Winnipeg are offering free swim periods for people at any age that are often scheduled in the evenings, and on the weekends. Some pools are also offering free swim periods for youth ages 9-19 only. For a full list of Winnipeg pools to see which ones are offering free swim programs in your neighbourhood, click here
- Drop-in fitness classes: Can’t commit to a full 10 or 12 week fitness course? Many of the fitness programs listed in the leisure guide also allow for drop-ins for those who can’t attend regularly, or who want to check out several different classes. Most classes charge a $10.75 one-time drop-in fee, but passes can also be purchased in groups ($42 for 4 classes, $74 for 10 classes, $134 for 20 classes, or $171 for 30 classes). The best part? They don’t expire.