Dawson Trail Dispatch
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Local Curler Heads to Russia
The Canadian Men’s Juniors National Team consisting of Jacques Gauthier (skip), Brayden Payette (second), Zack Bilawka (lead) and Jordan Peters (vice skip), won their final game in Langley against Newfoundland/Labrador with a score of 8-6 which propelled them to Worlds. Supplied photo.
As part of Team Canada, a Manitoban Junior Curling champion is going to Krasnoyarsk, Russia to compete in the world championship. Twenty-one year old Jordan Peters will be competing for the title of World’s best Junior Curling team from February 15 - February 22. Since the age of four, the vice skip on the Canadian Men’s Juniors National Team, Peters has been curling with his father. “My dad was a competitive curler when he was younger. When he had me, that competitiveness rubbed off. I was always in the curling club watching him. After a game, I’d want to go out on the ice and see what it was like,” Peters recalled. Between the ages of 10-12, he joined league play and became more serious about the sport. Peters told media it is harder than it appears to pursue the sport. “It gets rough, I’ve lost a lot of games; you just persevere, keep practicing, and you’ll achieve your goals.” “Many people don’t realize that curling is a very strategic game kind of like chess. So there’s a lot of thinking that needs to be done especially on the skip’s end, but there’s also a lot of communication and friendship building with your team,” Peters added. Peters is ecstatic about the opportunity to represent the province overseas. He said this year, “We were prepared for it. It is an amazing experience, I feel all the support back home and it’s incredible.” When the team arrives in Russia on February 10, they will be competing and travelling with the women’s Manitoba curling team as well. While not curling, Peters is attending Providence College completing his degree in Business Administration.
February 2020
This Winter Provincial Parks Are the Place to Be The Manitoba government will again offer free park entry for the entire month of February so Manitobans and visitors can take advantage of the many winter activities available in provincial parks at no cost. Vehicle permits are not required in any provincial park in February, but Snopasses are still required for snowmobiles using groomed trails in the parks, and entrance fees still apply in national parks. There are groomed trails in 13 provincial parks across the province for a variety of activities including cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, fat biking, snowshoeing and hiking. Paint Lake, Spruce Woods and Turtle Mountain provincial parks also offer outdoor skating areas, hockey rinks and toboggan hills. Trail grooming reports are updated online every Thursday throughout the winter. Manitobans are encouraged to check trail conditions and weather forecasts before visiting parks to properly plan their outdoor adventure. Maps of winter trails and updated reports can be found at manitobaparks.com. Park interpreters are offering several guided experiences this winter. Interpretive programs are free and offered year round in Birds Hill, Spruce Woods and Whiteshell provincial parks. Highlights for the month of February include a skijoring workshop in Spruce Woods Provincial Park on Saturday, February 8; a wolf howl in Whiteshell Provincial Park on Saturday, February 15; guided snowshoe treks in Whiteshell Provincial Park on Sunday, February 23; learn to ice fish session in Whiteshell Provincial Park on Monday, February 17; a nature detectives program for families with preschool aged children in Birds Hill Provincial Park on Wednesday, February 26; a winter family fun day at the winter recreation area in Spruce Woods Provincial Park on Saturday, February 22; and a variety of drop-in family activities at the Spruce Woods Visitor Centre throughout the month. More information on these events and other upcoming programs can be found under the events tab at the Manitoba Parks Facebook page at facebook. com/MBGovParks and online at manitobaparks. com. Teachers can also book free guided school programs throughout the winter season. For more information on winter activities and interpretive programs in provincial parks, email ParkInterpretation@gov.mb.ca or visit manitobaparks.com.