Skiing, skating, swimming and tubing were just some of the ways area residents spent Family Day.
Westlock Family and Community Support Services hosted free events Feb. 15, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Rotary Spirit and Westlock Aquatic Centre, while over in Tawatinaw skiers got to stretch their legs at the newly-christened Pine Valley Resort.
Festivities kicked off at the Rotary Spirit Centre with public skating, an appearance from Joey the Clown (aka Uncle Whoopee Cushion) and free hot dogs.
“We gave out 200 hot dogs,” said FCSS program coordinator Maureen Schiller.
FCSS also gave away 25 crazy carpets to the first kids to arrive at Belvedere Park for an afternoon of tobogganing from 1 to 3 p.m.
“Everything went great. I was really pleased with how it went.
“This year, we added the public skating, and the hot dogs and hot chocolate.”
Later, swimmers flocked to the Westlock Aquatic Centre as the pool filled to capacity.
The aquatic centre wasn’t the only packed house with hundreds more taking in the grand opening of the Pine Valley Resort.
Nearly 700 people hit the slopes and enjoyed various activities at the resort, including sleigh rides, face painting, tube races and music.
Reeve Bud Massey was on hand with several other councillors, including Div. 5 Coun. Don Savage, accompanied by his wife Geri Savage, Pine Valley’s new business development manager.
“The opening was fantastic,” Massey said. “Some of the changes that have been incorporated, like the tubing hill and night skiing, those are wonderful things now that are making the ski hill even more attractive.”
“It was a huge success,” Geri Savage added.
Geri said she was also pleased to have representation from local Aboriginal communities at the ribbon cutting.
“Tawatinaw actually means river between two hills,” Geri said. “It’s a Cree word.”
“They were here first, so we’re respecting that.”
Cree Nation elder John L. Willier was on hand to perform a blessing on the ski hill and chalet, which sits on traditional First Nation’s hunting territory.
Willier, 66, blessed the building’s office and performed another blessing for peace, harmony, friendship and laughter later, around 1 p.m., at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
“It’s a blessing for everyone to have a good day, to have an open mind and kindness in their heart,” Willier said.
“It’s a part of history, the opening of Pine Valley,” Willier continued. “Very happy to be a part of it. The history goes way back for the Cree people.”
Before the ceremony, Willier had the chance to speak with staff at the hill and even perform a traditional smudge ceremony, where sweetgrass, sage and boreal fungus are burned as sacrament.
The ceremony, Willier said, is designed to connect everyone, regardless of religion in a sense of peace and harmony.
“There are different reasons, different approaches, but we all pray to the same creator. Some people go to churches; we have our sweat lodges,” he said, adding that the blessing was the perfect addition for a family day opening.
“I wanted to make sure to pray for the blessing of the building, to keep it a family-oriented, happy, fun place to be.”
