Cowichan Lake Recreation will be hosting a number of free recreation activities this Friday and Saturday as part of BC Recreation and Parks Association's Move for Health Day initiative.
The events will take place on Friday morning, evening and all-day Saturday in Lake Cowichan and Youbou with all members of the community encouraged to come out and take part in healthy living activities.
"BC Recreation and Parks Association is the overseeing body and then the municipalities are offering up events for the community," said Kyler Nurmsoo, recreation programmer at Cowichan Lake Recreation. "It's totally drop-in for our events and hopefully we'll get a lot of people."
On Friday, May 9, there is a pickleball drop-in at the arena free of charge between 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. as well as a public skate in the evening 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., also free to get into.
On Friday evening there will also be a family dance and a youth dance held at Youbou Hall and both will have a "minimal" drop-in charge.
The family dance is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and the youth dance, for ages 11 and up, goes from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Nurmsoo is hoping for a good turnout of locals.
"We're hoping for at least a few dozen, that would be nice, although we're not expecting a massive crowd," he said. "We have tons of free prizes and goodies to give away so hopefully that will be an extra incentive to add to the healthy activity going on. Our drop-in events on the Friday are always popular."
Yoga and hiking events will be offered at Stoker Park this Saturday as well.
"On Saturday, May 10, we will set up in Stoker Park (Marble Bay Road in Woodland Shores) offering free yoga and a group hike along Bald Mountain trails starting at 10 a.m," said Nurmsoo in an extra email to the Gazette. "The real message is just to get our community active."