Skating returns to Wascana Lake during Waskimo festival

The public is encouraged to bring their skates for a rare opportunity during the Waskimo Winter Festival on Family Day.

Ever since the big dig made Wascana Lake deeper, skating hasn’t been allowed on the main section in front of the Legislature.

More than a decade later, Waskimo is bringing back skating on Wascana Lake, east of the Broad Street bridge, which was not part of the big dig.

“Thanks to the help of the City of Regina, we cleared a big skating oval there in the last couple of days,” said the festival’s Jim Aho.

The ice is thick enough for skating in that section of the lake. The Festival says given the extremely cold weather in February, the ice is at least 20 in. thick. Waskimo’s website says safety is its number one concern and ice thickness is measured regularly.

While temperatures are expected to rise, at least out of the extreme cold by Family Day, warm up shelters are being added to help keep skaters warm.

“Even if you skate for half-an-hour, I think you have to do it because this is something that this generation, the young generation, has not yet done and it’s a thrill to skate on that lake.”

The public skating on Wascana Lake during Waskimo 1982 (Waskimo Facebook page)

Waskimo is both an outdoor and indoor festival with the entire Conexus Arts Centre booked as an additional warm up area. Indoor events include axe throwing, a mini escape room and the popular video game Fortnite on the big stage.

Those looking to embrace the winter can enjoy the family skate from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the polar plunge at 1 p.m., hole-ympics outhouse races starting at 3 p.m., snow cricket at 1 p.m, and horse-drawn sleighs from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Other outdoor activities include cross-country skiing, fat bike races, crokicurling and a bird watching field trip.

Waskimo events are free to attend. Parking at the Conexus costs $10.

For more information, visit https://www.waskimo.com/