WHCA Winter Carnival on Family Day Weekend

If you’re looking for a fun, family-friendly event for the Family Day long weekend, look no further than the West Hillhurst Community Association Winter Carnival!

Join us on Saturday, February 16th from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm for a day of winter fun & activities for the whole family. Some of the great activities we’ll be holding include:
Indoor Public Skating from 10:30 am to 12 noon
Sleigh Rides from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm
Maple Syrup Taffy Pull from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm
Hot Dogs & Hot Chocolate for sale at the Gazebo
And more TBA!

This is a public event, so whether you’ve got a Family Membership or not, feel free to join and bring along your friends and family. The weather should be in our favour for the long weekend, but be sure to dress in layers in preparation for typical Alberta winter weather.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Spring Programs are Right Around the Corner!

If you’re the type of person who likes to get outside to enjoy the nice spring weather and take part in a fun & competitive sport while you’re at it (which, let’s face it, is practically everyone!) then the WHCA can help you with that this coming spring! Registrations are now open for both the 2019 Spring Soccer & Tennis Lessons programming! Both of these programs are held outside at the WHCA and are accessible to a wide variety of age groups.

WHCA Soccer

Soccer at the WHCA kicks off April 23 for ages 3 to 12. Multiple programs available in the afternoons. For more information on what soccer programs are available, pricing, dates, and registration links, visit westhillhurst.com/whca-soccer. You can also contact soccer@westhillhurst.com if you have any questions, inquiries, or are looking to get involved.

Tennis Lessons

Spring Tennis lessons beginning April 29 are open for registration. With availability for ages 4 & up (including adult!), this is the perfect opportunity to get acquainted with the sport. Already on your way to being the next Wimbledon champion? Consider taking the intermediate & advanced lessons for adults. These lessons are taught by tennis pro Alicia Hampshire and you’re sure to leave the court a better player than when you stepped on. Visit westhillhurst.com/tennis for more information & registration.

New Music Programming for Babies & Toddlers

This February the WHCA is proud to introduce brand-new programming for babies & tots: WHCA Music with Nynne Collins of Hummingbird Music Therapy!

Instructor Nynne combines music and song in these sessions, catering to the appropriate ages. These classes help enhance motor development, body consciousness, concentration, and memory. Music classes by Hummingbird Music Therapy can encourage the development of language, movement, attention, and sharing with others, all while having a ton of fun with music, singing, and dance!

You will find that there is nothing more engaging than an hour of interactive singing & dance with your baby and/tot. These classes will not only enrich your child’s learning, but also your relationship you share together.

Movin’ & Groovin’ Baby Music for ages 6 months to 3 years is held Thursday mornings from 9:10 to 10:10 am in Upper Studio A beginning February 21st.

Register Here

Tot Music for ages 3 to 5 years is held Thursday mornings from 11:15 to 12:30pm in Upper Studio A beginning February 21st.

Register Here

Video Games at WHCA?

Have you got an interest in video games and e-sports? Would you like to see related events & programs held at the West Hillhurst Community Association?

Well for those of you who read our blog, we’ll let you in on a little secret: the WHCA is considering doing e-sports and video game related events and programming, pending feedback from the community members and potential partners.

Neat, huh?

We understand the increasing interest in video games and the passion community members have for the industry and want to provide activities at the facility to help foster that passion and interest. This can only be a reality, however, if we receive enough feedback and interest from the Calgary community.

In order to get an idea about community interest and potential involvement, we put together a very, very brief survey and would appreciate your feedback. Just click that link and fill out the survey. It should only take a minute or two depending on your answers.

Got comments and questions that weren’t addressed in the survey? Feel free to leave a comment on this post, down below.

Learn to Play Squash

Here’s your chance to get your foot in the squash-door before we kick off the 2019 WHCA Squash Championship. The WHCA is partnering with Sport Calgary to provide an introduction to squash for All Sport One City. Throughout all of Saturday, January 26th, we will have courts set aside in order to accommodate members of the public to stop by the Health Club and get their feet wet in the world of squash.

Learn the basics or brush up on your skills for this active quick-paced racquet sport

Played in an indoor court, the aim of squash is to make a small rubber ball bounce twice on the floor before the opponent is able to return it. You have to be extremely quick to get to the ball but you also have to have great endurance and recovery to keep getting that ball back time and time again, especially when it can travel as fast as 270kmh!

If you are a beginner, you will learn the rules and the game of squash. If you have some playing experience, but need to improve your skills, this class is for you. This is also a great class for people who have never tried squash before and want to give it a try in s safe and supportive environment.

Let’s start with the basics! It’s not as hard as it may look!

SKILL REQUIREMENTS:
None, really. Just try it out and have fun!

ADAPTABILITY:
Call in advance to discuss needs .

EQUIPMENT / ATTIRE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE:
Workout clothes, workout indoor shoes, water bottle. If you have your own gear, please bring it. Otherwise, equipment will be provided, including goggles.

CHECK IN:
At the entrance
Please arrive 15 min before session start

FAQs

For all other FREE sessions offered at All Sport One City, click HERE

WHO IS OFFERING THIS SESSION? West Hillhurst Community Association

DO I HAVE TO PRE-REGISTER OR CAN I JUST SHOW UP ON EVENT DAY?
The only way to guarantee a spot is to register in advance. Registrations will close one day prior to the event start. Drop-in is possible, although space cannot be guaranteed for drop in. (Best to contact the session provider before the session start)

MINIMUM AGE REQUIREMENTS?
Adult, over 18 years of age

TRANSPORTATION/PARKING OPTIONS?
Parking available. There are a few bus options. Check CalgaryTransit.com for details.

WHEN SHOULD I ARRIVE?
At least 15 minutes prior to the start of the event.

FOOD & BEVERAGE AVAILABLE?
No, but pubs and restaurants nearby.

REGISTER HERE

20th Annual WHCA Squash Championships

Have you got what it takes to prove you’re this year’s WHCA Squash Champion? Register before February 1st and prove your squash superiority! This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Squash Championship and the 2019 tournament will be bigger and better than ever. The $50 entrance fee gets a place on the tournament roster, a WHCA squash t-shirt, and access to Friday night’s squash showcase; an exhibition match between Calgary Squash elites Ian Power and Jake Hooker. This is three days of squash that you will not want to miss.

The Championship will be help from February 28 to March 2, 2019 at the WHCA Squash and Fitness Club squash courts and is open to squash players of all skill levels with a WHCA & Health Club membership.

Don’t Miss AppleSauce Basketball!

Throughout the year at the WHCA, we offer the Applesauce Basketball Program and it has been massively popular year-round. Both winter sessions filled up almost overnight, but luckily there are still spots available for the ages 5 to 7 program starting February 25. Register for that session here. Only 3 spots remain!

For those looking to find out more about Applesauce Basketball, it is a 6-week program led by a basketball coach to teach youth all the skills and drills for when they hit the b-ball court. Participants receive a reversible jersey and will leave the program with greater confidence in their basketball skills. Sessions run year-round and we will send out updates in advance for sessions so you will have lots of opportunity to register if you happen to miss previous Applesauce Programming.

So snag your spot today and we will see you on the court!

Dungeons and Dragons for Beginners

If you’ve ever wanted to get introduced to tabletop role-playing games, here’s your chance. First Monday of the month, The Ship and Anchor hosts Entry Level Dungeons and Dragons from 5 to 10 p.m.

Get acquainted with DnD as well as other tabletop RPGs with a group of like-minded adventurers. Learn the basics about what the game is, how it works, and ways to play with hands-on experience. Not quite ready to jump into a role? Attendees are welcome to sit and watch the adventures unfold.

Dungeons and Dragons is more than just nerds reading lore and rolling dice. It is partly that, but it’s also enthralling and entertaining storytelling and game play that’s guaranteed to suck you in.

Check out the next session on February 4th at the Ship and Anchor. To sign up or if you’ve got questions, contact shipdandd@gmail.com

Get in Motion with Tot Yoga

Looking to get your toddler, ages 3 to 6, involved in a community driven motion and learning class? Look no further than Tot Yoga at the West Hillhurst Community Association.

This yoga program is composed of a series of classes intended to stimulate and educate your toddler through the practice of yoga. It covers an introduction to the basics of yoga, breathing exercises, and setting intentions aimed to foster community building. These classes are also geared towards empowerment in learning by reaching into the unique learning styles of each and every child through the integration of music, art, science, literacy, and much more!

Enrich your toddler with all the benefits of yoga and more. For more information about this program, call the health club @ 403.283.0464 ext. 1

Start Your 2019 Right!

Looking for a fresh start in 2019? Or maybe you finished 2018 in strong spirits and want to carry that momentum with you into the new year? Well, we hear ya!

Nothing encourages well-being and positivity like practicing tai chi! For the new year, we’ve essentially doubled the tai chi offerings available at the WHCA by adding a Wednesday session, beginning January 9th. Our Saturday tai chi is still available and still free for WHCA members, but due to the success and positive feedback we received from this program, we were compelled to start a this second tai chi program for just $4 per session.

Not acquainted with tai chi? No worries! This unique martial art exercises both body and mind through movement and meditation. Our sessions are suitable for both practiced and new participants and can be as challenging as you wish to make it.

So start your 2019 with a healthy body AND mind! Register for our tai chi sessions TODAY: Saturday Tai Chi — Wednesday Tai Chi