Park Program Guide: December 2023 - March 2024

Park Program Guide December 2023 - February 2024 for

50 YEARS

Regional Parks

Program Registration at rdco.com/parkprograms eeco@rdco.com 250 469-6140 calendar.rdco.com @regionalparks

Celebrating 50 years of Regional Parks in 2024 Three cheers for 2,100 hectares of parkland, 30 regional parks (10 with lake access!), and over 86 km of trails!

Our community’s beloved regional parks system is celebrating 50 years of forests, green spaces, hikes, dog walks, morning runs, playground adventures, first-catches, and wild encounters.

Special events and a variety of programs are planned throughout the year to celebrate this achievement.

To mark the occasion, look for this icon throughout our program guides to find a hiking trail, join a program, or celebrate a special event to help you discover something new in a regional park; all naturally yours.

Discover your parks at Scenic Canyon Regional Park

Guided Hikes Registration required. Outdoor programs run rain, shine or snow. Please wear sturdy shoes, arrive on time and be prepared for the weather.

Register: rdco.com/parkprograms Discover your parks - winter series With winter comes exciting new ways to discover nature! Join a park interpreter on this series of guided hikes exploring regional parks and unveiling their winter secrets. Bundle up and enjoy snowy trails and crisp, frosty hikes! By registration.

KLO Creek Regional Park Saturday, December 9, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Thursday, December 14, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Black Mountain-sntsk’il’nten Regional Park Thursday, January 4, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Saturday, January 13, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Scenic Canyon Regional Park Friday, January 12, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Mill Creek Regional Park Wednesday, January 24, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Saturday, January 27, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Kaloya Regional Park Friday, February 2, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Trepanier Creek Greenway Regional Park Thursday, February 8, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Saturday, February 24, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

A snowshoe night hike at Black Mountain-sntsk’il’nten Regional Park

Winter walk of love Join us for a whimsical walk and learn about the mating rituals of animals in the Okanagan. By registration.

Scenic Canyon Regional Park Saturday, February 10, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Glen Canyon Regional Park Wednesday, February 14, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Full moon snowshoe hike Enjoy the mountains after dark. Our interpreters will take you on a journey to their favourite places to view the night sky, balancing city views with mountain wilderness. By registration.

Black Mountain-sntsk’il’nten Regional Park Thursday, January 25, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

After the fire

Public Programs Registration required. Outdoor programs run rain, shine or snow. Please wear sturdy shoes, arrive on time and be prepared for the weather.

Register: rdco.com/parkprograms Night sky club for youth Do you know we have a nocturnal preserve in the Central Okanagan? Become a night expert! Learn about animals and birds that thrive at night, how to read star charts, play outdoor games and work on night sky inspired arts and crafts. Each week is different. Suited for ages 9 to 12. By registration.

Robert Hobson Environmental Education Centre Tuesdays, January 9 to February 6 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Restorative yoga A group yoga class for all abilities. This gentle floor practice of Yoga Nidra with Paula Morrison ends your day with easy stretching and mindful movement. $45 per session. By registration.

Ellison Heritage Community Centre Tuesdays, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Session one: January 16 to February 13 Session two: February 27 to March 26

Roll and stroll Link up with other caregivers and their little ones for weekly walks. These are winter outings, so bundle up and enjoy that fresh winter air! Afterwards, we’ll gather inside the EECO for social time and refreshments. By registration.

Mission Creek Regional Park Thursdays, January 11 to February 29, 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Dance fitness Dance for fun and exercise with SHiNE fitness, a cardio pumping, stress melting, smile producing class that will get you motivated to dance away the winter blahs. $45 for the series (5 classes).

By registration.

Ellison Heritage Community Centre Wednesdays, January 10 until February 7 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Toboggan fun!

Join us for good old-fashioned, slip-and-slide fun at Black Mountain-sntsk’il’nten Regional Park! Bring your own snow sliding device or borrow ours and take advantage of nature’s natural slides. Warm up afterwards around our propane fire pits.

Bring your own mug for refreshments. By registration.

Black Mountain-sntsk’il’nten Regional Park Wednesday, January 3, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Join us in the EECO to learn about the role of wildfires in our forests. If we understand their connection to healthy ecosystems, we may come up with ways to keep our communities and ecosystems safer from the damaging effects of interface wildfires.

By registration.

Robert Hobson Environmental Education Centre Thursday, February 8, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Thursday, February 22, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Thursday, March 7, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Who’s been there?

Winter is a busy time in regional parks! Look for life hidden in plain view by learning to read signs left by wildlife. Practice the art of eco-tracking - why was the animal here and what was it doing? By registration.

Black Mountain-sntsk’il’nten Regional Park Sunday, December 10, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Sunday, December 17, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Sunday, February 11, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Mill Creek Regional Park Sunday, January 7, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Woodhaven Nature Conservancy Regional Park Sunday, February 4, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Winter wonder night walk A special winter walk! Be ready to engage all your senses; look for tracks, listen for an owl’s call, and warm up with a tasty treat enjoyed around a friendship circle. Dress warmly and bring a flashlight or headlamp and a mug. By registration.

Scenic Canyon Regional Park Thursday, December 21 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Hardy Falls Regional Park Saturday, January 6 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Mill Creek Regional Park Wednesday, January 17 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Winter bird walk Some birds migrate, others brave the Canadian winter, altering their behaviour to survive seasonal changes. Join Kalin Ocana for these bird discovery walks. By registration.

Glen Canyon Regional Park Tuesday, December 12 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Kalamoir Regional Park Tuesday, December 19 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Scenic Canyon Regional Park Thursday, February 15 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Mission Creek Regional Park Tuesday, February 20 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Drop-in Programs Neighbourhood coffee social Meet new friends and old acquaintances during our coffee social.

Enjoy hot coffee, tea and light snacks. First Tuesday of the month.

Ellison Heritage Community Centre Tuesdays, January 9, February 6, March 5 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Story time Meet inside the EECO for stories, songs, crafts and outdoor exploration with your young child. Each week has a different nature theme. Suitable for children aged 3-5 years old.

Robert Hobson Environmental Education Centre Tuesdays, December 5 and 12, and January 2 to February 27 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

Tai Chi This gentle practice of movement and breath is a whole-body exercise that can be practiced anywhere. Join this beginner class and ease into winter. Instructor Swee Lin from the Canadian Tai Chi Academy is teaching this 5 week series.

Suggested donation $20 for series or $5 per class.

Ellison Heritage Community Centre Mondays, January 15 to February 12 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

C.R.I.S. Adaptive Adventures at Mission Creek Greenway Regional Park

General Info If you need support to participate in any of these park programs due to physical, cognitive, or sensory challenges, reach out to C.R.I.S. Adaptive Adventures. This unique, non-profit organization aims to enable people with diverseabilities. See adaptiveadventures.ca for more information.

Art Inspired Programs Registration required. Outdoor programs run rain, shine or snow. Please wear sturdy shoes, arrive on time and be prepared for the weather.

Register: rdco.com/parkprograms Tea time An introduction to the joy of growing a tea garden and the Okanagan plants that can be added to your tea blends! Join our interpreters and learn about Okanagan plants, sample tea blends, and make your own to bring home. By registration. Cost $5.

Robert Hobson Environmental Education Centre Sunday, January 21, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, February 25, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Ellison Heritage Community Centre Tuesday, February 27, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Watercolour card crafting Try your hand at watercolours and create a unique card with inspiration from nature. No experience necessary and art supplies are provided. By registration.

Robert Hobson Environmental Education Centre Thursday, December 7, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Saturday, December 23, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Acrylic painting sessions Let’s paint together! Walk away with your painted masterpiece!

No experience is necessary and art supplies are provided.

By registration.

Robert Hobson Environmental Education Centre Saturday, January 20, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. ‘Fox in the snow’ Saturday, January 27, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. ‘Magic of Magpies’

Parks Wildfire Recovery Fires have always been a part of the natural world and the summer of 2023 was no exception. Residents and visitors to the Central Okanagan were witness to some of the largest interface fires in our history. These fires were more intense and larger due to climate change and had devasting outcomes for many.

Fire did not destroy Rose Valley, Stephens Coyote, Traders Cove, and Raymer Bay Regional Parks, but it changed them.

We know these parks provide the opportunity to recharge and connect, but for the foreseeable future, we need to provide nature space to recover.

Regional Parks staff work hard to protect the lands and ecosystems within and to reconnect you to these wild spaces.

It’s a delicate balance between human activity and nature, now more challenging as we navigate unsafe conditions, hazard trees, unstable slopes, and ecologically sensitive lands heavily impacted by firefighting efforts.

These parks will be a story of regrowth and resiliency. It will be a healing experience for many of us. We ask you to be a respectful part of their story. We will reopen these parks as soon as it is safe for everyone. Follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our Parks newsletter for updates about the recovery progress and news about reopening.

Does your family have what it takes to solve a puzzle and complete tasks that challenge the body and mind?

Family Day adventure quest

Events Regional parks at the theatre Join us for a special movie screening at a local theatre plus nature talks, trivia, prizes and more. Register early to reserve your seat! Details to come in early 2024 for this special event! Be the first to know - subscribe to our eNewsletter.

By registration.

Cineplex Cinemas - Orchard Plaza Sunday, January 28

Join us for a family-friendly scavenger hunt in collaboration with CRIS Adaptive Adventures. Test your family’s skills in solving puzzles and completing tasks that challenge the body and mind.

This inclusive and exciting event includes prizes for participating teams. Be prepared to play outside and walk up to 4 km. Ideal for families with children ages 5 to 12. CRIS Adaptive will provide TrailRiders for families who need help getting around the park.

Registration required. (One registration per family/team).

Mission Creek Regional Park Sunday, February 18 Morning session: 9:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

Afternoon session: 1:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Nature nugget trivia night Get your four-person team together for trivia fun. See if your team can be crowned the winter winners for 2024! Join in from the comfort of your own homes. Prizes for winning teams.

By registration.

Online (Zoom) Thursday, February 1, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Winter wonderland art day Explore the art of winter with Lynn Braakman! Paint your own winter art canvas. Take a break with a provided lunch and participate in winter-themed activities. Suited for ages 7 to 14. Cost $30.

Ellison Heritage Community Centre Friday, February 16, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Pancake café Start family day weekend with a breakfast treat! Homemade pancakes, hot coffee, tea and a special hot chocolate treat!

Bring the family and share a morning together. Cost $5.

Ellison Heritage Community Centre Saturday, February 17, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Adaptive adventures!

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Visit subscribe.rdco.com to subscribe to our monthly RDCO Parks e-newsletter. Scroll to the bottom of that page and select ‘eNewsletter - Parks’ to subscribe.