By Tia Wayling, Recreation Services Co-ordinator with the Regional District of Central Kootenay
Spring has been quite chilly this year, but the weather is slowly starting to warm up. We got a late start to mowing our lawn this year, and our regular family walks have had more layers of clothing than usual for this time of year. I’m okay with a slow start, as long as it doesn’t heat up too quickly like it did last June.
It was great to kick-off our event season with a Bicycle Rodeo event earlier this month. The Creston and District Community Complex (CDCC) partnered with Creston Valley Early Years to put on this extremely successful event. It was a beautiful day, and we saw over 100 kids aged two to 13 come out to ride their bikes on our obstacle courses. We had representatives from the local RCMP and Fire Department giving safety talks and fire truck tours as well as Summit Cycle and Sports providing quick tune-ups. It was a great social time as well seeing families that hadn’t seen each other in awhile catching up. And the kids had fun maneuvering the track and obeying our stop signs.
Hopefully, you got your long-awaited fill of events over the long weekend with the Blossom Festival. There was so much to do and so many people to see. The festival signifies the change of a season for a lot of us in Creston. So now is a good time to start planning ahead, if you haven’t already. Before we know it, summer will be here and we are all going to be busy with our camping trips, lake days, and general fun in the sun. For those off-days when you aren’t cruising to your usual summer spots, look to your friendly, neighbourhood rec centre for your recreational needs.
The CDCC Summer Program Guide is now available online at www.rdck.ca/recreation, and we are taking registrations. This year, there is a strong focus on summer camps designed for children ages seven to 13 years old. Each week of camp (Monday to Thursday) focuses on a different theme that kids can immerse themselves in: nature, sports, dinosaurs, space, science, and around the world. There will be active and creative times throughout the day where they can learn new things, unload some energy, and express themselves creatively. New this year is our “Little Ones Fridays”, where ages three to six can enjoy a morning of games and activities based around the same themes as the older kids, but geared to be more age appropriate. We’ve got great camp staff this year, so I will definitely be signing my boys up for the camp days. Register as soon as you can for summer camps and swim lessons because space is limited.
Enjoy what’s left of spring! Soak up the sounds of the chirping birds, smells of the spring flowers and freshly cut grass, and early morning sunshine. Hike the lower elevation trails and take in the views of this amazing valley while in its greenest glory.
READ MORE: Rec Perspectives: Events on the Horizon