Chilly good time

With the frigid winds blown away, residents enjoyed the milder winter weather to play in the ice and show at the Old Fort on Saturday.

Fort William Historical Park held its ninth annual Voyageur winter carnival for the Family Day long weekend. Families had the option of navigating through a maze, sliding down the hill on a tube, snow shoeing, going for a dog sled ride or playing games at Carnival Street. The three-day family event started on Saturday and will continue until Monday.

Rhonda Johnson came to the Old Fort with her husband, Kevin and her two sons’ 10-year-old Ryan and 5-year-old Jayden. The family of four visited the Old Fort as part of their Family Day tradition. The one rule when the family is out together is to turn off cell phones and just enjoy their time together, she said.

She said it was important to spend time with her family to ensure that they had quality time together but most importantly to have fun. Johnson felt there were plenty of family activities for her and her family to do and felt satisfied with the various selections spread across the city, she said.

"We’ve been coming out here for a few years now," Johnson said. "It’s nice to get away from the every day and come and have fun."

Brad Jacobson came with his wife, Dawne, 11-year-old-son Cole and 9-year-old-daughter Abbey. Coming to the winter carnival is a bit of a tradition but it’s the sliding hill that keeps the family returning each year, he said.

"They over did themselves this year," Jacobson said. "The kids love (the sliding hill) they have been up and down the hill a dozen times already. Also, the dog sledding. Where else in the world can you come out and do that with your family?"

With every day distractions and obligations, the family unit doesn’t appears as close as it once was but activities such as the winter carnival help to strengthen the family bond, he said.
Cole agreed with his dad that it’s important for families do activities together.

"If something happened to your family and you just spend a day with them…it’s kind of something to cherish," Cole said.

Marty Mascarin, communications officer for Fort William Historical Park, said the winter carnival was an ideal activity for the Family Day weekend because of the recreational opportunities as well as indoor activities.

While still a heritage site depicting the fur trade in 1815, Mascarin said the fort has changed into a place for families to enjoy recreation activities.

"It’s not just simply heritage, although that is our core offering," Mascarin said. "But in summer or winter, we have a variety of new events and activities that we are working on and refining all the time. So it’s nice to provide a variety of things for people to enjoy."

Prices for adults, seniors, children ages 13 and up are $10, children ages 6 to 12 are $7.50, children ages 2 to 5 are $5 and free for children 24 months and under. The carnival wraps up on Monday at 5 p.m.