Edmontonians enjoy warm temperatures on Winter Walk Day

Edmontonians participating in Winter Walk Day on Wednesday were treated to record-setting temperatures. CTV News Edmonton's Marek Tkach has the story.

Hundreds of Edmonton workers got outside on Wednesday to mark Winter Walk Day.

The event is put on by Shape Alberta, a non-profit that promotes active transportation across the province, and is meant to promote wellness during the winter months.

Many of the participants were grateful for the good weather.

“It was -30 C plus the wind chill last year, so it was a tough day for an outdoor winter walk,” participant Brian Geislinger said. “This year, we’re literally 35 degrees warmer than we were last year. So it’s just a fantastic day to be out and about.”

“We started Winter Walk Day with the objective to get more Albertans out and active, even if it’s just a 15-minute walk on a specific day. And then hopefully the traction from that continues,” Lesley McEwan of Shape Alberta told CTV News Edmonton.

Terry Skidnuk is a workplace wellness advisor for Alberta Blue Cross.

He spearheaded a campaign to get more than 400 employees to walk to the legislature for Winter Walk Day.

He promotes the day’s message every day.

“It allows us to highlight the importance of physical activity during the day, and certainly being outside also supports our mental health,” he said.

“It’s just another reminder to take time each day to look after your wellness.”

Skidnick recommends keeping outdoor fitness goals in the winter small and achievable.

“Try to, look at it just as even just a short goal of, ‘OK, I’m just going to do two or three minutes,’ and oftentimes once you get going you generate some of that energy and it’s not as bad as we may think. Then we are really enjoying it.”

Last year more than 140,000 people in Alberta registered to take part in Winter Walk Day.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Marek Tkach