Wheely Fun

Get rollin’ this summer while the sun’s still high and the pathway’s still dry. We mean it literally—get rolling. Strap on a pair of inline skates, hop on a scooter or learn how to skateboard for fun and exercise this month.

We encourage you to lead by example. Not only will you achieve super-cool mom status for getting on your own ‘deck’, but you’ll also benefit from the additional vitamin D and cardio in the great outdoors.

Skate parks are a great place to get spinning. Shaw Millennium Park, located downtown and adjacent to the now-closed Telus World of Science, is North America’s largest free outdoor skatepark, with terrain for all levels, including beginners.

There are several benefits to visiting a dedicated skatepark like Shaw Millennium Park. If it’s one of their first times out, kids can stick to the safety of the walls as they learn to push off and glide, the pavement is smooth and clear of hazards and debris, and while there are bigger, faster kids on site, they tend to stick to the cloverleaf bowl or fullpipe, leaving the flats to you. If there are preschool or toddler tow-along siblings, inline skating, little-kid biking, triking and three-wheel scootering are all acceptable and safe in some areas.

Westside Recreation Centre also has a smaller skatepark on site which is free to the public from 12–8 pm daily (helmets are required). Also, Westside’s indoor ice surface has been converted to an inline skatepark no skateboards for the summer—no skateboard allowed.

Another, albeit louder, option is Lloyds Roller Rink located on Macleod Trail at 75 Avenue (think 1980s rollerskating). Good to Know: Skate rentals available.

Looking for more skatepark options? If you live in the Southeast, the community of McKenzie Towne has constructed a skatepark on the land dedicated to the future LRT station. And the City of Calgary, which is offering free skateboarding at mobile skateparks throughout the summer, will be located at the Queensland Community Association outdoor rink from August 13–31. Lessons are available on site for kids six and over.

Once your kids are ready to cover some distance on their scooters, skates or bikes, consider moving out of the parks and on to the trails. Fish Creek Provincial Park (from Burns Ranch to Sikome Lake) is flat, scenic and quiet for novice skaters and bikers. The top of Nose Hill Park offers similar advantages in the Northwest part of the city.

Safety should be a top-of-mind priority for families introducing wheeled sports. Helmets and pads should be considered mandatory.

Don’t feel like you have to reinvent the wheel this August to keep the kids entertained. Skate boarding, inline skating, scootering and biking are inexpensive and accessible ways to keep them moving toward back-to-school.

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