FLC gears up for its annual New Year’s Eve family fun day
By MO CRANKER on December 28, 2019.
mcranker@medicinehatnews.com@MHNmocranker The City of Medicine Hat is once again hosting its annual family friendly New Year’s Eve celebration Tuesday at the Family Leisure Centre. The event kicks off at noon and runs until 4 p.m. – there is a $2 admission fee. Families will be able to bring their skating gear and glide around the ice as a family. Skating begins at noon and runs until 3:30 p.m. There is a zamboni intermission at 1:30 p.m. to clear the ice and let the kids watch the machine circle around the surface. “We’ve established these large events at the FLC as something for people to look forward to,” said recreation program co-ordinator Terra Petryshyn. “We’re offering events people have come to expect like swimming and skating and we’ve got a number of other fun activities for the whole family.” There will be two swimming times available for families – one starts at noon and the other starts at 2:15 p.m. Swim times are being held to maintain capacity levels of the pool area. Tickets for each time can be picked up upon entry to the event. Kids will also have the chance to take part in Nerf Wars at four different times throughout the afternoon – all Nerf Wars activities will take place in fieldhouse 2. Nerf Wars sessions begin at noon, 1, 2 and 3 p.m. and run for 45 minutes. Petryshyn says the FLC is expecting 1,200-1,500 people to pass through on New Year’s Eve. “I think this is a really popular event for people because it allows them to celebrate as a family,” she said. “We cut it off early enough that parents still have plenty of time to get ready and go out for their own New Year’s celebrations.” Tot Time will take place in the gymnasium all afternoon, giving toddlers a chance to work on their gross motor skills. The gymnasium will also play host to floor hockey and basketball for adults and older kids. An inflatable alley will be set up in the fieldhouse that will feature bouncy obstacles and jumping castles. There will be a movie and quiet time area during the festivities that will show Holiday favourites on the big screen. The New Year’s countdown will start at 3:45 p.m. in the main lobby of the FLC. “The countdown and balloon drop is a really fun part of this for everyone,” said Petryshyn. 16-15
