February’s warm weather made for a fun but wet Family Fun Day at the Niverville Arena on Saturday, February 18. The Town of Niverville had built a toboggan hill that boasts plenty of angles for downhill sledding. More than 60 people came out to toboggan, snow paint, and snowshoe.
Unfortunately, the quinzee building had to be cancelled due to the high temperatures. The texture of the snow wasn’t prime for building. Some snowmen were built, but they later melted and fell over in the heat of the sun.
The Niverville Fire Department was kind enough to show off their fire truck, letting children sit inside and take pictures. Members of the department volunteered their time, as did many other volunteers who helped with snowshoeing and snow-painting.
As tobogganers headed down the hill, Actif Epica racers began to bike in around 12:30 p.m. The racers either started their long 120-kilometre trek in St. Malo, or a much longer 200-kilometre trek from Emerson. Runners began in Ridgeville (162 kilometres) or St. Malo (120 kilometres). All groups eventually ended up at The Forks in Winnipeg. The fastest time was seven hours, 51 minutes (fastest time).
This year, 65 bikers and runners were registered. Many came from outside the province, including North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Indeed, some brave souls came from as far away as Brazil and India.
