PHOTO BY LORI SICHELLO Enlarge Image

Save for a few diligent dog walkers, our neighbourhood parks and pathways are fairly quiet at this time of year. However, as spring is just around the corner, activity in the parks will soon resume at a feverish pace.

While John Forsythe Park was idle for several years, it is great to see that it has gained tremendous growth in popularity for soccer and football. A major contributor to this was the installation last summer of full-sized soccer goal posts with nets and proper chalking of the fields, which are utterly important to both sports.

Although the park is a beehive of activity on evenings and weekends, particularly during the spring and fall, it is a peaceful place for a lovely walk alongside the lake during the day. There are interconnecting pathways meandering throughout the neighbourhood, leading past additional lakes and beautiful wooded areas. If you venture out in the evening you may be lucky enough to catch a gorgeous sunset with fantastically brilliant colours reflecting off the calm waters of the ponds.  

This park has also become extremely popular for cycling, rollerblading and, of course, walking the dog.

Nearby schools incorporate the use of the pathways into their physical education classes by sending the children on a quick jog for fun and fitness.

Believe me, spring really is just around the corner and I would like to provide an early reminder that registration for summer sports will soon be upon us. The spring registration dates for youth baseball, softball, soccer, mini-soccer and basketball will take place at Jonathan Toews Community Centre on March 6, 8 and 10. Specific times can be found on the community centre’s website. Parents, please keep in mind that, as usual, volunteer coaches will be needed.

I cannot wait for spring, when the community once again comes to life with the splendour of the blossoming trees and flowers, the freshness of the warm days and coolness of the nights, the sounds of the whistles blowing and, most of all, the children’s laughter.

So who’s winning? Not necessarily any particular team. It’s the people who are winning. We will soon be getting off the couch to enjoy fresh air, exercise, socializing, family time, supporting our children and simply contributing to our well-being — and using our parks

Lori Sichello is a community correspondent for River Park South. You can contact her at lorisichello@mymts.net.