Uko Akpanuko
Daily Herald
The Optimist Club of Prince Albert is set to open the doors of the Winter Wonderland for the children of Prince Albert to come inside and play.
The Club started planning for opening and operation of the Winter Wonderland from the beginning of the year. The theme for this year is “A Cowboy Christmas”
“It starts off at the beginning of the year. By the time last year’s (event) had finish, it’s time to start planning what we are going to do to make it a little different,” said Vince Parker, a former two-time President of the Club. “We got to use the same things, but we want to make it a little bit different (and) move things around, which we have done (with) a few changes to the train. There’s a lot more lights, more trees, and more decorations. It’s a lot of work through the year.”
Parker said the goal is to create an area for children and families to play and enjoy themselves. He said there aren’t many Christmas events were children can come inside, plays games, and win prizes, and the Optimist Club aims to fill that void with Winter Wonderland.
“It’s a lot of work, but the end result, which is what we’re looking at, is to see the kids come around at Christmas,” Parker said. “The adults, yah they come around, but a lot of (the joy) for us is seeing the kids enjoying themselves in the kid’s zone. They look at the trees but they will go for the kid’s zone. That’s their thing and it’s amazing.”
“To see the kids’ excitement and smiles and whatnot, in my view that is profit enough,” added Carol Markling, the Winter Wonderland Committee Chair.
Markling and Parker said they wanted to try something different this year, so they thought of adding a cowboy theme to the experience. Markling said someone suggested the theme, and they started running with it. That includes adding a ticket booth called The Watering Hole near the canteen. They also created several cowboy themed photo and game areas.
They’ve also added a Lego area, and a few new trees to their display.
Around 15 people helped create this year’s Winter Wonderland, but a core group of eight to 10 are responsible for most of the work. Parker said the goal isn’t to raise money, they just want to put something on for the kids.
There will be entrance fee as follows: $5 for the kids, $10 for seniors and $15 for adults.
Visitors can access the Optimist Club Christmas Wonderland by using the inside entrance in the Gateway Mall just off 13th Street West. There are Christmas Displays, Scenic Train Rides, Cowboyish Games, and lots of Selfie Stations.
Optimist International is one of the world’s largest service club organizations with 93,000 adult and youth members in 3,200 clubs in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean and throughout the world. Carrying the motto “Bringing Out the Best in Kids,” Optimists conduct positive service projects that reach more than six million young people.
“Hey come on down and see for yourself what it is,” Parker added as he invites everybody to visit the Optimist Winter Wonderland this Christmas.
Winter Wonderland officially opens on Nov. 30 after the Santa Parade on Central Avenue. It opens at noon on Dec. 1, Dec. 6-8, and Dec. 13-15.
–with files from Jason Kerr/Daily Herald, and Michael Oleksyn/Daily Herald
