May long weekend in Calgary
Although the weekend weather often doesn't cooperate, Victoria Day is the unofficial launch of barbecues, hikes, camping, and all manner of outings for most Canadians.
The city of Calgary has you covered for all weather, with a host of activities, both indoor and out, for the holiday Monday. But there are also some closures to be aware of.
- City golf courses are open — depending on the weather — as are the Southland and Village Square Leisure Centres (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.), but aquatics and fitness centres, arenas, art centres and the Calgary Soccer Centre will all be shut tight on May 18.
- Fort Calgary is not affected by the holiday and will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for all you history buffs.
- It's the same story across the river at the Calgary Zoo, with the gates open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the zoo closing at 6 p.m.
- Heritage Park, which opened for the season this weekend, accepts visitors from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. As an added bonus, the first 500 people through the gate between 9:30 and 10 a.m. will get a free pancake breakfast in the Chautauqua Tent.
- Telus Spark, offering a sweet indoor respite from potentially cool weather, is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 17 and 18.
- If you're planning on getting around by C-Train, note that all stations in the downtown core, except Downtown West/Kerby, are closed until May 19, with shuttle buses replacing C-Trains.
- If garbage and recycling is your thing on holidays, great news — residential waste and recycling collection will go ahead and you can still round up the family and head to the landfill to take in the sights and drop off some trash.
