Acura Tube Park, WinSport
the new tube park at WinSport is, among other things, a solid conversation starter. Sledding, once the unquestioned domain of prairie kids riding riffs of cardboard, has in recent years become the subject of debate on matters such as where one can legally sled to whether or not one must wear a helmet. Despite its “safety first” mandate, therefore, WinSport’s 10 supervised lanes of flaw-free snow will doubtless have a polarizing effect.
On the jubilant end of the spectrum, news of the hill’s Dec. 17th opening has invariably elicited nothing but exuberant cries of “Woot!!” from children (only those over 42 inches in height, please) and adults of a certain stripe. On the other end, the biggest sledding attraction of its kind in Western Canada has likely induced a good deal of parental hand-wringing.
Of course, the purists will also have their say, perhaps launching their objections with one of the more dispiriting phrases in the English language: “Why, in my day….” They are as likely to rail against the strong safety concerns as they are to grumble about the price. Sure, back in the day tobogganing was invariably free (by contrast, three hours at Acura will cost you $18.99 if you’re under 17; $25.99 if you’re an adult). You get what you pay for, however. Winsport is banking on a majority of Calgarians siding (sliding?) with their idea of a cushier brand of fun, the opportunity to ride a shiny, virtually frictionless, rubber doughnut down 200 metres of manufactured snow without fear of trees, rocks or aimless passersby interfering with the gravity-fuelled magic. Not to mention the easy ride back up the slope on a mechanized carpet (cue the curmudgeonly chorus).
Now, we’re not saying there’s anything wrong with fashioning a zippy sled out of a kitty-litter box (just don’t bring it to Winsport’s park, where attempting a run aboard anything other than one of the hill’s 400 officially sanctioned inner tubes is strictly verboten). Nor do we deny that many people have made it all the way to adulthood without the benefit of a supervisor telling them when to launch (WinSport employees stationed at the top and bottom of the tubing hill ensure a steady and safe pace for riders). So if oldschool, free-range tobogganing floats your boat, we are happy to reassure you that it is still legal in myriad parks and backyards around the city.
There is one final bone of contention: the new tubing attraction has displaced some of the cross-country ski trails on the park’s eastern side. Happily, however, the Foothills Nordic Club is set to remedy that loss in the new year with groomed trails at Confederation Park (stay tuned for more on that). Meanwhile, we’ll keep on sledding, skiing and conversing with cautious abandon.