MAPLE GOODNESS
Karen Marshall and her six-year-old son Bennett roll maple taffy — or tire sur la neige — on to a stick with the Alberta French Canadian Association as part of Family Day activities Monday afternoon at the Helen Schuler Nature Centre.
Some are big, some are small, some we choose and others are born into one. A family can be defined by more than the standard dictionary explanation. No matter the makeup, a family is connected by affection and a feeling of importance to one another.
Monday marked Family Day across Alberta, a statutory holiday to celebrate and spend time with those we hold dear.
Thousands of southern Alberta families did just that, taking advantage of many fun, free activities across Lethbridge.
The 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness at the University of Lethbridge was packed with people of all ages for the sixth annual Play Day.
In honour of the U of L’s 50th anniversary, this year’s theme was “one big family birthday party.”
First held in 2012, Play Day was created as a way to celebrate family and the benefits of play, and to promote community wellness.
“It’s so important for families to recognize the value of play and of family bonding time,” said U of L president and Vice-Chancellor Mike Mahon. “We all have busy lives and face demands that take us away from our families, so it is essential to take some time and find a balance that incorporates simple play into our day. Community wellness begins when we take care of ourselves in this way.”
Activities included two bouncy castles, the climbing wall, floor hockey, basketball, face painting and swimming. There were also art and science-themed centres including the chance to try Virtual Reality technology, create a cardboard city, and many more.
Ross and April Jacobs, along with their sons Duncan, 9, and Dean, 7, learned how to make tornados with two connecting bottles of water. Ross Jacobs said it was important for them to all come out and spend time together because sometimes life gets busy with work and kids’ activities.
“You know you do a lot of stuff together, but you don’t really spend a lot of time sort of concentrating ... we play board games and things like that, but to get out and experience new things is awesome. Especially at the university where the games are fun but at the same time engage them from a thinking point of view — creative science — and I think that’s important.”
The family planned to hit up several of the free activities planned across the city.
“We’re going to do this, then we’re going to go down to Helen Schuler to check out the activities there and then maybe finish off with the Galt Museum. Try to get as many things into one day as we can.”
Maple sugar was a tasty treat at the Helen Schuler Nature Centre, as the Francophone Association held a traditional sugar shack. Families could also join in a nature walk or enjoy a solar cooking demonstration.
The Galt Museum hosted a free family history day and visitors could wear a period costume for snapshots in an historic photo booth. A new documentary film, “Lethbridge: A Tale of Two Galts,” also made its debut.
Families could make music or get their hands dirty in various music and art classes at CASA as well. And the YMCA Lethbridge held the official opening of its new indoor play space, with free swimming, Bumper Ball, and more.