Free Mobile Ski Library at West St. Paul Access Centre Friday Evening January 19th

Its beautiful out here. Let’s go ski!

Come chill with us at a free mobile ski library at the West St. Paul Access Centre!

When: Friday January 19th, 4pm – 7pm

Who participates:

Everyone! All welcome. You, your friends, your family…your dog?

What:

Borrow skis for free and try out a ski trail made just for the occasion. Also kicksleds and snowshoes to try. Adaptive equipment is also available for folks with disabilities. See m0re on that below.

How?
This event is run by Winnipeg Trails, a local non-profit up to all kinds of fun things. Thanks to hundreds of generous Winnipeggers, most of the equipment is donated and now lovingly maintained by Winnipeg Trails staff for your use!

Our mobile library events are proudly supported by the hosting organizations (thank you RM of West St.Paul for this one!)
Supplementary funding for specialty programming is provided by partners at all levels of government. See the Winterpeg.org main page for more information on how this project started and is made possible.

What do I need to bring:

Warm clothes. Preferably in layers (outdoor winter activity can be warm!) Also bring a great attitude (or, well, whatever attitude you happen to have that day, but just be prepared to leave happy, because that’s the point.)  😊

Some of our events this year take place in the evening. For those events, consider bringing a headlamp if you have one. How romantic…

Are there accessible washrooms, warm change areas, etc?

Typically, yes. Double check the location details on this page to be sure. Usually our mobile ski library visits are in partnership with a community centre for everyone’s comfort. Outdoor locations – once a staple of the pandemic era early beginings – are now rare. But from time to time we do host out in a park, so when they happen, you can expect a small fire pit and benches at minimum, and maybe even a visit from our horse trailer warming sauna…

Do I need to RSVP?
Yes please, that helps give us an idea of numbers to expect. If someone joins you at the last minute or you are just hearing about the event and its today, no worries, just come and tell folks to come along. The more the merrier. To RSVP click the button below.

How to get here.

Google Maps is probably the best tool. Click here and choose your preferred mode of transportation.

Can I reserve ski boots or other equipment?

All equipment for the mobile ski library events is first come first serve. Come early if you are on a tight schedule and you must, but know that there is rarely a wait at most events thanks to the large amount of donated boots and skis from generous Winnipeggers! Meanwhile, if your boot size happens to be extra popular that day, there is other equipment you can try and friends to make! And hey, feel free to drop in any time. Note that we start to pack up during the last half our of the event.

Note for people with very large feet:
If you have very large feet, i.e. size 12 men’s and above, that’s where our stock starts to get a bit limited. If you have big feet and want to be sure you can ski, consider bringing sturdy hiking boots so you can use our NordicTrax adjustable binding  these don’t require ski boots, but work best if your boots are nice and stiff.

I am a beginner, do you provide instruction?

We love it. Beginners make us very happy. That’s why we’re here. We’re happy to give the basic tips to everyone. It won’t take long to get anyone going and practicing. At some locations, you may be able to book a proper lesson. If so, the info will be posted here. But don’t worry, skiing is surprisingly easy to pick up and we’re here to help.

Can kids come?

You bet. We have lots of kids skis for example, and we tend to design small loops in conjunction with the main loop to little tykes can cruise in view of mom or dad. We even have an pulk or ahkio which allows you to ski with a small infant in tow to try out.

Are their supports available for persons with disabilities?
Yes, our goal is to make all our winter events accessible to everyone. Our staff receive training on tips and tricks for different abilities (visual impairments, wheelchair users, etc..) and what we don’t know we are learning together!  We have staff who identify as disabled and some highly specialized staff who have participated at the highest levels in the Paralympics who are very keen to make sure everyone get out here.

If you have any questions – even basic ones such as navigating from the near bus stops, or Transit Plus or want to make sure we have the right sit ski equipment for a given physical impairment, its a great idea to reach out as some of the info is specific and some of the equipment can be in high demand. We would love to welcome you. To confirm adaptive equipment availability at this location or ask questions, please contact our accessibility specialist, Olex Korniiko, at [email protected]. NOTE: We also have specialized programming weekly, where you can join a community of folks with disabilities sharing their enthusiasm and skills together as a group. If you are interested in that too, please let Olex know.

Do you ever cancel? How cold is too cold?

For our events at community centres with nearby warm spaces, its usually game on. Parents with small children are advised to use their discretion. Don’t forget that skiing warms you up quickly. Some people like a challenge, after all, and winter is unpredictable even throughout the day. Bundle up.

For mobile library events in parks, or other areas where we host a visit in an outdoor area without a warm indoor space nearby, where our staff and attendees might risk frostbite standing around or putting on boots, our cutoff temperature is set at -25C. In the unlikely event this happens or if we get a truly extreme day (high winds with temperatures predicted below -30C  during the event itself), we may cancel/reschedule at our discretion.

If we do cancel, we will update this post in real time, so if you are unsure, consider checking Winterpeg.org on your way out.

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What if I love skiing/kicksledding/snowshoeing and want to rent some to take somewhere else?

If you are planning a trip or want to check out some of the many cool ski sites in Winnipeg or around the province, you can rent some some! Many of ski stores around town rent out skis and will be happy to hook you up.

Get skis at the Bicycle Garden. When you rent skis from us, you are supporting our social enterprise and all of the cool programming we do – like these free mobile librairies. Win win.

Find us at the Forks again. We’ll be on the Nestawaya River Trail again this year. New this year: we are offering both skiing and skating lessons on weekends courtesy the Forks. Come Try winter! Skis and bikes can also be rented by donation to explore the trail on your own.

*New* Find us at Assiniboine Park. This year, we have made skis available for rent by donation out of a “Zoogipon” our new ski shack located next to the Duck Pond, where the family can skate and you can rent skis to enjoy the many trails maintained by Assiniboine Park Conservancy! Big thanks to Holz Construction for the shack donation!

For detailed info about all your other ski rental options go here.

Location and trail map: