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Winter Canal Days attract good crowd

Residents of Meridian Beach enjoy winter canal days during the Family Day weekend

By Treena Mielke

Family Day fun was ongoing all weekend at Meridian Beach, a tight-knit little community nestled on the northeast shore of Gull Lake.

And while the population of Meridian Beach shrinks in the winter as summer residents head back to the city, the community spirit continues to flourish in the cold weather.

For the first time ever, many of the full-time residents decided to get together and host Winter Canal Days on the Family Day weekend.

Christine Langford, one of the organizers said the weekend event turned out even better than expected.

“It was a smashing success, a great turnout, we even had some sponsors to help out, said Christine Langford.

“Will we do it again next year? Absolutely.”

Activities began on Saturday with a three-on-three hockey tournament held on the canal. To hold such an event, the snow had to be shoveled off the canal and a rink set up.

Kelly Diarmuid, a former Bentley Generals hockey player, was more than willing to do the necessary grunt work. He said he recruited his friend, Devin Mielke to give him a hand, but everybody helped out.

“It was fun,” he said. “We all did something. Actually everybody pitched in and we all had a good time.”

Curling on the canal coincided with the hockey tournament.

A delicious lunch of hotdogs and marshmallows was served on the canal thanks to the loan of a firepit from a local family.

A chili cook-off and a cupcake war held Saturday capped off the day’s events.

and Sunday a family and friends fishing event was held.

This event also proved popular and organizer Darren Schwieger said 92 people signed the guest register.

“It was just a chance for family and friends to go out and have a good time,” he said. “It was really nice.”

He noted a total of 20 fish, including pike, perch, whitefish and walleye were caught, but only three pike were not released.