Calgarians take advantage of warmer New Year’s Day conditions following deep freeze
Calgarians are embracing a much-welcomed reprieve of warmer temperatures after two weeks of frigid temperatures.
Hundreds of people flocked to Bowness Park Saturday to ring in the New Year with family members and friends outdoors.
Jenine Angell was amongst several skaters on the lagoon in northwest Calgary.
“It’s so wonderful, it's nice just to get a break from the cold,” she said.
“We’ve all been hunkering down, a lot of us just have been working from home, so it’s beautiful to get outside and enjoy seeing people and smiling faces.”
Among those smiling Saturday was Nathalie Tacail, who enjoyed a game of crokicurl on the ice with her family.
“It’s not nice being cooped up in the house so it’s nice to get a breath of fresh air for the kids and for us, it does a world of good for sure.”
The high of -7 C Saturday also made for perfect conditions for those who enjoy exercising outdoors.
Heather Clitheroe has been running outdoors in extreme cold temperatures in an effort to train for a marathon this spring.
The cold never stopped her from getting in a workout, but she’s grateful that these conditions are more bearable, if only for a couple of days.
“There’s not so much frost building up right now, you get a lot of frost around your scarf and your hat so my eyes aren’t freezing shut, my nose is warm, so this is gorgeous New Year’s weather.”
Calgary’s toboggan hills were also busy with children finally able to spend more than a few minutes outdoors to enjoy the fresh snow.
Six-year-old Martin Siu was one of the first sledders at the St. Andrew’s Heights hill on New Year’s Day.
“It’s so fun sliding down and turning round and round,” he said.
“It was so fast and there were lots of bumps!”
Dominic Cuthbertson was also excited to take in the hills with his kids and to try out brand-new sleds he purchased for Christmas.
“It’s so good to get a break from the cold-snap and get out with the kids.”
The warm weather was also a huge break for furry friends who regularly need to go outside.
Douglas Smith and his dog, Noah, were out early Saturday morning for a much longer walk than they’ve been used to for the last couple of weeks.
“It’s a lot nicer now, and more enjoyable with my dog,” he said.
“Tomorrow I hope it will be a bit better so it’s beautiful to see the bright sun here in Calgary, there’s nothing better than that.”
The warmer temperatures are here to stay for the weekend according to CTV Calgary meteorologist Kevin Stanfield, but the cold weather is expected to return on Monday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.