Okotoks residents are invited to lace up their walking shoes and take to the track for an annual celebration of being active.
Winter Walk Day is on Feb. 5 and people of all ages can participate in the event to compete against other Alberta municipalities of similar size to see who can be the most active community.
“It’s really just about getting people out and active in the winter time,” said Zach Adams, Okotoks community events specialist.
He said the track at Pason Centennial Arena will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. with volunteers on-site to hand out ballots for those who complete their treks to fill in how many laps or kilometres they completed.
Those who fill out a form are entered into a draw for prizes, he said.
For anyone who can’t make it to the track or would prefer to walk outdoors, he said their distance can be registered at www.shapeab.com/winterwalkday to be counted towards Okotoks’ total.
“It’s a good way to increase everyone’s energy and get them outside because in the wintertime we tend to stay inside so we don’t have to deal with the snow and the cold,” said Adams. “This is a good way for people to get outside and enjoy the weather – even if it’s not ideal – and a great way to get physical activity in.”
He said in previous years the turnout in Okotoks was in the hundreds and he hopes to see similar attendance for 2020, if not more. A total of 160,000 people in Alberta logged their walking distances last year.
Participation is on a drop-in basis and there is no need to pre-register for Winter Walk Day, he said.
Stroller are permitted on the walking track with clean wheels, and indoor shoes must be worn, he said.
Schools and businesses are also encouraged to get out and walk, and enter the total distance of all students or staff on the SHAPE Alberta website, he said.
For more information visit www.okotoks.ca.
