It happens after the first day of Christmas break – the allure of watching daytime TV while eating dry cereal straight from the box wanes and children start looking for entertainment, often at the cost of their parents’ sanity.
Fortunately, there is plenty for kids of all ages to do in St. Albert when students stream out of classrooms next week. Whether it’s enjoying the outdoors, taking a plunge in the pool or exploring a new activity, the city is ready to help everyone stay busy and stay active.
The biggest change in St. Albert this Christmas is a wanted addition to the city’s recreation offerings. For the first time in recent memory, rather than closing over the break for an annual maintenance and cleaning bee, Fountain Park Pool will be open.
“We had feedback from the public over the last few years and asked patrons through a survey, and the public would like us to be open over the holidays to have another facility for patrons to use,” said Sharleen Edwards, the city’s aquatic services manager.
Instead of closing for the holidays, the pool conducted its maintenance and cleaning after hours. The countertops in the locker rooms were replaced, the deck was painted and the bleachers by the competition pool have been replaced. All that’s left is refurbishing the large sign out front.
The only days the pool will be closed are Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. On Dec. 24 the pool will be open from 5:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. From Dec. 26 to Dec. 31 the pool will open at 7 a.m. every day, closing at different hours, depending on the day.
While there is no special programming at the pool over Christmas, Edwards said the pool will be open to public swimming during all those hours; no lessons scheduled during that time.
“Just come and have some fun,” Edwards said. “I think it’s fun when you get to go swimming. You have a choice this year.”
In years past, because of Fountain Park’s closure, the only pool open in St. Albert was at Servus Credit Union Place and it will stay open over the holidays, says facility director Diane Enger. The recreation centre will only be closed on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, and will close early on Dec. 24.
“We run our complete facility offerings,” Enger said. “We are open almost regular hours.”
Beyond swimming, skating or playing a little basketball, Servus program and services manager Jack Ballash has stitched together a series of pre- and post-Christmas camps for children aged 3 to 7 during the break. The camps are offered either in the morning, afternoon or all day and cost either $20 per child for a half-day or $40 for a whole day.
“They’re a great value because I think parents are looking for options for their children,” Ballash said.
The pre-Christmas camps include making cards and decorating cookies. After Christmas, the activity level ramps up with camps called “Heroes for the Holidays.” The heroes, in this case, are the children themselves as each camp will give kids the chance to demonstrate something to the class.
“We’re looking at their individual needs and seeing how we can develop social skills and get them more engaged with children they don’t normally socialize with,” Ballash said.
Servus Place will also have several “stick and puck” times for different age groups. These sessions, for which no registration is required, allows kids aged either 3 to 5 or 6 to 12 the chance to come in with a helmet and cage, skates, stick and puck and just play around on the ice with their parents. Youth aged 13 to 17 can still play shinny, provided they bring all their equipment.
“It’s something that a lot of people have been asking for,” Ballash said.
But for those looking to just get outside, Nicole Deering, St. Albert’s community recreation co-ordinator, says families need only look to what St. Albert has to offer.
“I think the big thing is getting out and enjoying the outdoors because we are a winter climate,” Deering said. “That keeps our kids active and healthy.”
From outdoor skating, walking the Red Willow Trail System, building snow mazes or snow forts to snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, Deering pointed out there is no shortage of ways to stay active over Christmas. And most of the activities are of little or no cost and are ones the whole family can enjoy.
“They are fun things to do either by yourself or with your family,” Deering said.
If given the choice, Deering said she would pick going skating and then heading to Lions Park or Lacombe Park to roast marshmallows. And if it gets too cold, families can always check out the library, a local coffee shop or help out around the community by volunteering.
“A lot of these things … we would obviously endorse and are fun for the kids,” Deering said.
