A winter celebration in the Canadian Rockies
Hockey game, Winter Celebration, Marion Creek Benchlands, BC (Photo by NCC)
In the days leading up to the second annual Canadian Rockies Winter Celebration it seemed that Mother Nature had decided it was already spring before winter had even truly arrived. A foot of snow melted in less than a day and the lake ice had already started to break up and melt. Invermere went from minus 25 degrees to a balmy plus eight, only days before the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC's) community event. Miraculously though, Sunday December 14 dawned cold and crisp with clouds burning off to reveal perfectly blue skies, warm sunshine and incredible ice for skating on the pond. Mother Nature had changed her mind once again.
”We couldn’t have asked for a better day,” one guest exclaimed, and it was
Bonfire, Winter Celebration, Marion Creek Benchlands, BC (Photo by NCC)
true.
The Winter Celebration was an opportunity to spend time in nature at one of the local conservation areas — Marion Creek Benchlands. Guests were invited to bring equipment for skating, hockey, Christmas tree gathering or hanging out by the warm bonfire. The generosity of local businesses meant that guests were treated to a delicious lunch and hot beverages.
Shortly after lunch children and adults alike headed down to the pond to don their skates for a leisurely skate or a game of hockey. The ice was flawless and a fiercely competitive game of hockey ensued…Well sort of. It devolved pretty rapidly into lots of laughing, giggling and skating circles with the puck, passing to each other and trying to score on the open nets. Personally I was just trying not to fall over on my skates; I’m still trying to master the whole skating thing.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Winter Celebration was an incredible opportunity to spend time outside with the local community. People came out from Invermere and Fairmont Hot Springs to celebrate the season and enjoy the outdoors. It was a perfect beginning to the holiday season.
About the Author
Roslyn Johnson is a stewardship and administrative assistant for NCC's Rocky Mountains Program.
