In a few short weeks we’ll find out if winter is here to stay, or if spring is around the corner, but in the meantime Niverville and the RM of Ritchot have a variety of winter activities to keep you and your family occupied.

Volunteers have been hard at work grooming the cross-country skiing path at Hespeler Park in Niverville. With the recent influx of snow, Niverville Recreation is hoping to get a cross-country ski clinic up and running soon.

While the town doesn’t offer ski rentals, they do offer snowshoe rentals, which can provide a great workout, and a fun reason to enjoy the outdoors.  Snowshoes can be rented from the town office. However, those who do are asked to reserve the groomed paths for those who are cross-country skiing.

“When we do the [ski] clinic, we would be providing a number of pairs [of skis] for people to use when doing the clinic—just the one time,” says Angela Janz, Niverville’s Recreation Director.

The RM of Ritchot will have one ski trail groomed on January 11 at Parc Cartier Park in Ste. Agathe. The trail will follow the perimeter of the park, which spans over two kilometres. The RM is working on the other trails and will have more information available soon.

In addition to these activities, many surrounding communities offer free public skating on their outdoor rinks. While some community rinks may require adults and children to wear helmets, others do not, so be sure to check with your local rink before heading over.