Parks and Rec has beginning skiers covered

Published 5:26 pm Saturday, December 28, 2013

Would you like to learn how to cross country ski?

Sign up for a class scheduled from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25, at the Jay C. Nature Center by calling 507-437-7519. Cost is $6 which includes the poles, boots and skis. So get outside and enjoy some brisk fresh air.

For those of you that like some adventure, rent cross country skis for $6 or snowshoes for $5. Children 18 and under are only $1. The cost covers three hours. Thank you to Dr. Richard and Belita Schindler for their generous donation which allows the Nature Center to rent equipment to children at a reduced cost.

Email newsletter signup

The Dammen Nordic Cross Country Ski Race will be held on Saturday, Jan. 11.

There is an 8K classical, 13K freestyle and one-mile beginners/children’s race. Registration forms and more information are available at hormelnaturecenterskirace.info and skinnyski.com, or by contacting Michelle Johnannsen at 507-440-0449.

Registration is open for second- through fifth-grade for indoor soccer, which will begin Jan. 7.

Soccer runs on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at Banfield Elementary, with second- and third-graders going from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m., and fourth- and fifth-graders from 6:15 to 7 p.m. The cost is $17.

Come on down to Packer Arena and ice skate indoors — the cost is $4 and $1 to rent skates. Inquire about family or individual memberships, which can be purchased at our office or at the arena during open skates.

The following are the dates and times: 1:30 to 3 p.m. Sunday; 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday and 4:45 to 6:15 p.m. Thursday.

The outside ice rink warming houses at Kaufman Park (Eighth Street and 11th Avenue Southeast) and Galloway Park (Eighth Street and Second Avenue Southwest) are open during the following dates: Dec. 29 through Jan. 5, 2014. The warming house hours will be 1 to 5 and 6 to 9 p.m.

Ice rinks may be utilized during daylight hours when the warming houses are not open.

For those youth grades five to 12 in Mower County, stop in and check out the Youth Activity Center, which is located in the east rooms of Riverside Arena.

During no-school days we will open at 1 p.m. daily. All activities are free and supervised. We have pool tables, air hockey, DDR, “Guitar Hero,” Wii, PlayStation 3, hi-speed Wi-Fi and a computer lab, large screen TVs and the list goes on. As a treat, there is always free popcorn to snack on. Grab some of your friends and stop in to check it out.

Check out the Austin Bruin’s at Riverside Arena. Their next home game will be New Year’s Eve at 7:05 p.m.

Happy Holiday’s from all of us at Austin Parks, Recreation and Forestry.