Brandy Fredrickson, Free Press
There’s something to be said about heading out to rural Alberta during a pandemic. There’s more space, less people, which all boils down to a bit more freedom.
This weekend we hit the highway to the Village of Breton. The village is located about 35 minutes, or 51 km southeast of Drayton Valley. It’s one of a few places in Alberta who share a unique historic link to the black migration that happened at the turn of the 20th century. The lumbering and logging industry established the economic roots for a community that is now primarily agriculture and oil and gas based.
On a “normal” weekday morning, the mainstreet of Breton is all a bustle as residents from around the community come into town to run errands, and socialize. The village is home to two golf courses, a municipal campground, a museum, a skate park and multiple playgrounds. It is safe to say that recreation is at the heart of the community and this is what brought us to Breton.
Each year volunteers from the Breton Elks take general care of the community outdoor arena and so with Dec. 12 being the anniversary of my birth and opening day of the outdoor rink I loaded up the kids to go skating in what anyone could attest to being a pretty cold and windy winter day.
How to get there
The Breton outdoor arena is attached to the municipal campground, and the municipal golf course. From Alsike, driving South on Hwy 20 you will turn West at the Breton Esso (55 Ave), at the end of the road a few hundred yards, you will turn left onto 47 Street and to your right you will see the Breton Golf Course club house and a small building to the south. The arena is to the west of this building and takes a very short walk to get there. Under normal circumstances the heated building makes for a nice warm-up spot but currently it is closed due to Covid restrictions. But, there are two benches alongside the building, and a rubber mat so getting skates on and off is not a problem.
Once you are there
If you are as lucky as we were to have the whole ice surface to ourselves, you can let loose. We forgot hockey sticks, pucks and balls but we pulled out a toboggan disc with a rope and between standing still and falling down, the kids took turns being pulled around on the toboggan. Incidentally with the smooth flood, and I mean the flood job the Elks did was amazing, that toboggan really picked up some speed. Both of my kids had to do the tuck and roll maneuver once their white knuckles couldn’t hold on any longer.
We lasted about an hour before fingers and toes were too cold to carry on. While this skating experience is not one you will find on the Travel Alberta instagram feed, when you take away the mountains, the crowds, and the hours and hours travel time, not to mention bathroom breaks and whining in the backseat, it is no less enjoyable than what you will find skating on Lake Louise. Actually, if I may be so bold, it was better than skating on Lake Louise, I cannot say enough what a good flood it was. And a quick trip does wonders for a backyard bucket list experience.
So if you are looking for ways to socially distance, and get a little exercise look no further than your regional rural neighbourhood outdoor arena.
A weekend cycling secondary highways
Spending a weekend cycling the secondary highway in and around Brazeau County is one of the great outdoor activities that this region has to offer. Minutes outside of Drayton Valley you will find yourself on kilometers of highway that seem to continue to stretch West.
Rural Watering Hole Tour
Before there were clubs, and ultra lounges there was the rural bar. The rural bar was a place people would go to have a drink, eat some food, get a bit of news and maybe even get a haircut. The rural bar was usually built alongside or attached to the lone hotel in the community.
Beating the heat at the North Saskatchewan River
Just a 10 minute drive west of Drayton Valley is the Willey West campground and boat launch.
Fumbles and bumbles at Rose Creek
We were about 45 minutes into what turned out to be a very thick bushwack. I was mid-lunge and my ski was looking like a “U” as I tried to get over a fallen tree when my aunt asked, “How much weight do you think we can put on our skis before they break?” I paused, unweighted my ski and looked around to see if there was another way through.
Three trips for your winter wonder list
Snowshoeing is a fun way to get outside, stretch your legs and add a little interest to your snowy winter walks. With the Eagle Point Provincial Park and Provincial Recreation area right on our doorstep there are endless places to explore by snowshoe. But for those of you who are just getting started here are three of my favourite places to get you going.
Drayton Valley’s best photo spots
Natural Locations
This list could go on forever but if we limit it to three general location ideas we have; The lookout point overlooking Willey West from the Pembina Rotary Community South Trails, viewpoints along the Pembina Nordic single track trails, any number of playgrounds and bridge points along the walking trails located in Drayton Valley.
Don’t be afraid to lace up your hiking boots and get out in the great outdoors. Some of the best shots around the area are only accessed by foot. But, getting off the beaten path is not limited to nature walks; it can also mean meandering down a back alley, or an industrial area.
From rural to urban, natural to industrial Drayton Valley has much to offer for your next photo shoot.
