‘I happen to enjoy winter’: Regina Ski Club volunteers proud to groom over 15 trails

Volunteers maintain more than 15 cross-country ski trails in Regina, grooming roughly 30 kilometres weekly for the community. Sierra D’Souza Butts has more.

A dozen of volunteers from Regina Ski Club have been grooming more than 15 cross-country ski trails across the city this season, in an effort to make winter more enjoyable for the community.

Dave Hall takes pride in grooming the cross-country ski and walking trails at Kinsmen Park. He’s been volunteering with the Regina Ski Club for three years since his retirement.

“I happen to enjoy winter,” Hall said smiling. “I get a real kick out of people using the park coming out and enjoying it.”

Hall is part of a small group of volunteers who help maintain about 30 kilometres of trails within the city.

“Even when there’s no snow on the trails, volunteers come out and will push snow into the areas that we will set for trails just trying to gather as much snow so there’s no grass poking through anywhere,” he said.

Kinsmen Park is not the only place the club is responsible for.

Volunteers groom more than 15 cross-country ski and walking trails across Regina which include Douglas Park, the Saskatchewan Science Centre, Joanne Goulet Golf Course, Sherman Park and others.

The group also maintains the White Butte Trails outside of the city.

“We’re just over 90 years that the club has been in operation for,” shared Yens Pedersen, the club’s president.

“It’s kind of changed and evolved over the years. It started actually as a downhill, alpine club and now we cover all types of cross-country skiing and downhill skiing, and biathlon as well.”

Aside from the current 300 members part of Regina Ski Club, Pedersen said it also receives a lot of support from the city to help fund equipment needed to maintain the paths.

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Donations are also welcomed to help the club fund its equipment.

“We get a lot of good support from the city administration, a lot of support from corporations because this is all city property that we’re working on,” Hall explained.

Hall added that volunteers are outside almost on a daily basis to ensure the paths for residents are freshly groomed and safe to use.

“Our goal here at Kinsmen is to try and get out every day. With a few retired folks and people that come out in the evenings or early mornings, we tend to get probably five of the seven days,” said Hall.

As long as the snow is on the ground, the club hosts a Social Ski Night every Thursday where residents can learn tips on skiing techniques following by a relaxed social ski.

With the temperatures being above season this week, those interested in hitting the trails are encouraged to check the group’s website before heading out.

“It’s a great way to get exercise,” Pedersen shared.

“We’re stuck with winter here, regardless of whether we like it or not. You know [we] can’t change the winters, but you can change your activity.”