THUNDER BAY — Snow crunching under snowshoes and children laughing with their families rang out across the Northwood Playfields on Sunday.
These sounds of wintertime fun were part of a snowshoe scavenger hunt for Winter FunDays organized with Youth Move.
"We have lots of snow back here in the field after our little dumping there on Friday," said Spencer Calder, Youth Move's program coordinator.
"(There is) perfect weather out here. There's no wind. It's a great day to get out, put the snowshoes on and explore what we've got set up for you."
Youth Move runs weekly drop-in programs at two main locations in the city: one at the Kinsmen Youth Centre on James Street and another in the Art Widnall Pool Building in Minnesota Park.
Calder said it's great to work with their friends in recreation and culture anytime they can.
"When they approached us in the fall and asked us to host one of these days in our backfield here, it was an obvious 'yes,'" said Calder.
"We like to be out and known in the community as much as possible, so it's great to have Winter FunDays here and have something else going on."
Brayden Cassidy, the City of Thunder Bay's community program developer, said it also loves to host these programs all around the city in different neighbourhoods.
"Sometimes there are people who are just enjoying the location on a Sunday as it is and it just so happens that they find the Winter FunDays," said Cassidy.
"Which is a great way to sort of spread the word about Winter FunDays and that it happens all around the city, so then maybe next week they purposely go to a different location because they know about it now."
For this particular event, Cassidy explained there are snowshoes of all sizes that participants can rent out for free and Youth Move has set up a scavenger hunt with different things to spot around the playfields.
"I know in Thunder Bay it's hard to tell when spring's coming, but in the nature of spring, there are some squirrels that you could look for or pine cones. Things sort of marking the change of the season," said Cassidy.
"There's also stickers that have been placed around as well, so a little bit of both."
He added that there is also a handout that families can use as a map and prizes will be waiting for them once they return.
Cassidy said they remain hopeful of seeing more people come along for the scavenger hunt.
"There are people enjoying the skating rinks and the park around here as well, so hopefully, they'll join us," said Cassidy.
A winter tree art workshop also ran with the Community Arts and Heritage Education Project at the Baggage Building Arts Centre for the day.
The free programming will continue weekly until March 16.
