City upgrades outdoor facilities in time for holidays

Like many, this is Kent Bednorski’s favourite time of the year.

But it’s not for the same reasons.

The City of Brandon’s greenspace maintenance chargehand was ecstatic to open the skating oval last week Friday, complete with a massive expansion to what used to be just a small trail breaking off from the main track.

Bednorski works tirelessly to provide exceptional spaces for outdoor recreation, helping Westman residents make the most of winter, get some exercise and give kids something to do during the holiday break. The skating oval is his pride and joy.

“This is my most favourite part of my job, and I do a lot of different things. We do an incredible job building the ice out here,” Bednorski said.

“It takes a lot of manpower to build this facility, and this year the area expanded, which I’ve been wanting to do for years.

“It’s close to double [the size].”

The expanded skating rink area at the oval, located just west of Andrews Field on McGregor Avenue, was something Bednorski has been envisioning since the Westman Speed Skating Club started using the space for training.

The club has helped multiple athletes compete on the national stage, meaning they will hit blistering-fast speeds on the public facility, which Bednorski said will have upwards of 300 people on it during busy times.

Expanding the area adjacent to the main oval will help ensure the safety of all skaters when the speedsters are training.

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIERS REJOICE

The other big expansion Bednorski, manager of parks Bryce Wilson and their staff have made this year is to their cross-country ski trails located at Wheat City Golf Course.

Bednorski took some of the city staffers to a trail-grooming workshop in Winnipeg a few years ago and it became apparent how much the City of Brandon was being limited by its equipment.

It was grooming with a Ski-Doo, which was quite labour-intensive.

The city purchased a side-by-side with the capability of not only track setting for skiing but also simultaneously packing for snowshoeing.

“The groomer, in particular, leaves an immaculately groomed trail,” Bednorski said, adding there will be about 12 kilometres of trails, as opposed to five in past years.

TOBOGGAN HILLS IN PRIME SHAPE

One positive from the heavy snowfalls is prime conditions for tobogganing at the Wheat City Golf Course, the Cherry Bowl, Parkdale Park, Rideau Park, the North End Community Centre and Hanbury Hill.

The Cherry Bowl and Parkdale Park are ideal for younger children and those looking for a safer, gentler ride.

For a little more speed, the north end is a good option.

The golf course has one of the steeper slopes, located right at the first tee, for those who want to get some serious speed like a golf ball flying down towards the fairway.

Hanbury Hill is the most popular toboggan spot in the city, with varied slopes to make it fun for everyone.

It is lit up until 11 p.m., for night sledding, and features a gazebo to warm up on the frigid winter days.

SKATING OPTIONS APLENTY

There are also six outdoor rinks all across the city, though they are maintained by the community centres, and hours of operation vary by location.

Brandon has three ponds that the city advises against skating on, but regularly checks for ice depth and updates signage to inform citizens of their safety, since, Bednorski said, they know people might use them anyway.

The city also works diligently to plow walking paths as often as possible.

Head to brandon.ca for more information on outdoor recreation.

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com