Winter is coming...get out there and enjoy it!

Presented by Decathlon, opening it’s first store in Western Canada at Southcentre Mall in Calgary.

There’s no doubt that winter is a long season in Calgary, but instead of hiding inside watching Netflix and waiting for Spring, get outside and experience all the wonderful winter activities in and around our city.

Ice Skating
Lace up your skates and get on the ice at an outdoor rink or indoor arena this winter.

• Bowness Park – Enjoy free outdoor skating on the lagoon in the eastern portion of the park from mid-November to mid-March (weather dependent).
• Olympic Plaza – In the heart of downtown, you can skate on the only refrigerated outdoor ice surface in the city.
• Olympic Oval at U of C – Prefer something indoors? The Olympic Oval typically offers more than 50 recreational public skating sessions per month on the 400-meter oval ice.
• Community Rinks – You can also enjoy dozens of indoor and outdoor rinks in all areas and quadrants of the city.

Snowshoeing
With Kananaskis Country on our doorstep, there’s no shortage of snowshoe trails with breathtaking views.  There’s a wide variety of difficulty and lengths so you’ll have no problem finding a trail that suits your comfort and experience level.  Some great trails to check out this winter include:

• Troll Falls is one to check out with the kids. It’s short and easy at only 1.7 km each way.  A kid-friendly trek through a beautiful wintery forest to the base of a frozen waterfall.
• Hogarth Lakes Loop is great for newcomers to the sport. It’s a 3.9 km loop over flat terrain around and over a series of frozen lakes.
• Sawmill Snowshoe Loop is a little more difficult as you’ll gain 508 feet of elevation. It’ll be worth it when you reach the top and take in beautiful views of the valley.  The snowshoe back down is also a lot of fun.

Downhill Skiing
There are so many options for great downhill skiing at world-class Rocky Mountain ski resorts just a short drive from Calgary and one even right in our city!

• WinSport – Develop your skills on terrain for all abilities in NW Calgary, just off of the Trans Canada. You can enjoy night skiing and still be home for the kids’ bedtime.
• Nakiska – Calgary’s closest mountain ski and snowboard resort. A short drive, just an hour away, and runs suitable for all ski levels.
• Banff Sunshine Village – Three mountains and a 360° view of the Canadian Rockies, just 15 minutes from downtown Banff.
• Lake Louise – With 4,200 skiable acres, beginner, intermediate and expert runs are accessible from every chair. Only a 2 hour drive from Calgary, it’s one of the largest ski areas in North America.
• Castle Mountain Resort – Located 2.5 hours southwest of Calgary, boasts 2 mountains and 8 alpine bowls.

You can get the Winter sporting equipment you need at Decathlon in Southcentre Mall. Decathlon offers 7,000 products at affordable prices for over 65 sports. There’s something for everyone in the family in the 63,000 square foot store.

Decathlon Calgary is the first store in Western Canada. It is a new concept store including an automated warehouse, enhanced showrooming and technology-assisted shopping. Everything is geared to helping find solutions for people looking to get and stay active. The store offers test zones throughout the store, to experience and try products.

Visit Decathon in Southcentre Mall to see why it’s so much more than just a sports store—it’s a total sports experience.