Ohhh, the cold has hit us here in Winter Park.  It has been almost too cold to ski, almost.  For the kids though when it dips to the negatives or hoovers around the zero degree mark it may be better to take a day of and let that arctic cold front just move on through.

And what to do with that day not spent on the ski slopes?  The Grand County Recreation Center is the answer to that day not on the skis or board.  There is not a better way to get away from the cold than our state of the art rec center right on Winter Park’s main street.  Here is some of the specifics of the facilities at Grand Park Recreation Center:

• Natatorium with 20ft loop slide, spray & play feature, lazy river, zero-depth entry pool and 4-lane, 25-yard lap pool
• Whirlpool, sauna and steam rooms
• Locker rooms and family changing rooms
• Climbing and bouldering wall
• Multi-sport gymnasium
• Gymnastic center including a foam and tramp pit (scheduled programs only)
• Running / walking track
• Cardio, circuit training and free weight area
• Aerobic / dance studio room
• Drop-in childcare
• Pool party room for rent
• Multi-purpose classrooms for rent
• Beautiful lobby area with fireplace, TV and game tables

Enough activities here to keep the most active of kids and parents busy for the day.

Grand Park Recreation Center hours:

Monday – Friday    6:00am – 9:00pm
Saturday             7:30am – 9:00pm
Sunday               10:00am – 6:00pm

If you are a guest of the Winter Park Lodging Company you can get discounted day passes for only $8 instead of $10. If you’d like to take advantage of our discounted day passes, just swing by our office in downtown Winter Park to purchase them. Call the WPLCo office, 877-329-1383 or 970-722-0707, to get your discounted Grand Park Rec Center passes.

We are here in Winter Park and if the winter part becomes a bit much take a day and enjoy our little piece heavenly summer, The Grand Park Recreation Center.

The Grand Park Community Rec Center is open and running.  We had a chance to visit the rec center this weekend and facility did not disappoint.  Nice work Y’all at the Fraser Valley Metropolitan Recreation District.  Most private fitness clubs I’ve seen can not match the the Rec Center’s finishes.  The place is a masterpiece!  There is now an escape from the long cold winters up here in Grand County.  A soak in the pool, hot tub or some time in the steam sauna will warm up the bones and get us all back on the the ski slopes very quickly.

The Rec Center has something for everyone but is just about perfect for the kids.  Day care, a water playground and a lazy river will provide hours of healthy entertainment for the young ones.  There are climbing walls, basketball courts and trampolines with a foam ball landing pit that looks just spectacular.  I may be gushing but I still can’t believe we have an asset this nice right here in Winter Park.

Follow the Rec Center happenings on their facebook page and become a member to enjoy their offerings year around.  Winter Park Lodging Company will offer our guests special discounted entry coupons so if you have any interest just ask.

Again nice work on the Grand Park Community Rec Center to all who had a hand in it’s creation!

The district has finalized the fee structure minus some small tweaks.  The center will offer child minding services for $4.00 an hour per child.  What a bargain!

We here at Winter Park Lodging Company would like to say job well done to Scott and everyone who had anything to do with the new Rec Center.  Everyone at Winter Park Lodging Company will be spending lots of time unwinding there.  The Bradford twins, Nicholas & Willem, are sure to spend countless hours there and learn many sports.

To Open In December

The new Fraser Valley Rec Center just announced the fee structure so we can all get in and enjoy the 20-foot loop slide, spray and play area, lazy river, zero-depth entry pool and four-lane 25-yard lap pool, as well as a whirlpool, sauna and steam room. The center’s other features include a climbing wall, gymnastics center, running-walking track, weights area, dance-aerobic studio, a pool party room and multi-purpose room.   They are set to open in December!

Here are some highlights for our guests:

0-2 years are free (it figures that our twins will turn 2 this October – darn!)

3 – 9 years – $7/day

10 – 17 years and seniors over 60 – $8/day or a 20-day punch card for $128

Adults (18 – 65 years old) – $10/day or 20-day punch card for $160

For full details, go to the Ski Hi Daily News article.

After this opens, I will no longer have any excuses for not being completely buff.  If you’re in the area this Spring, you can watch the progress as you drive from Winter Park to Fraser. The first building on the left as you leave Winter Park is a new gas station/convenient store.  The Rec Center is the next unfinished building on the left.

Well done, Fraser Valley!