River City Writer

Despite the so-called “Alberta Advantage,” most of the Edmontonians I know are strapped for cash. I’m strapped for cash. Maybe it’s just because I associate mostly with writers, artists, and students—people who are stereotypically short of money—but I don’t really see many people enjoying the wealth that has been flowing up from the tar sands for the the past few years.

A lack of money shouldn’t mean a lack of fun, though. I want your help to create a list of fun things that you can do for free in Edmonton. Bonus points if you come up with something that is exclusive to Edmonton. I’ve got a few things to start the list off.

• Take a walk in the river valley. Edmonton has the longest stretch of continuous green space in North America. The river valley is host to a massive trail system, much of which is wooded heavily enough to allow you to forget that you’re in the city for a brief moment. Going for a walk or a run in the river valley is one of the easiest, and cheapest ways to escape the stress of city life. While some people will argue that certain parts of the valley are better than others, I think that the whole stretch is beautiful, and recommend that you check out as many different areas as you can. Other good walks in the city, outside of the river valley include downtown (I love wandering the Core in the autumn, with a good friend to chat with), and Whyte Avenue. Both of these areas happen to be close to the river, so you can experience both nature and concrete in the same walk, if you want.
• Visit your local library. Yes, I’m hitting you with a cliché of “how to have fun for free” lists. One of the cool things about the Edmonton Public Library is that they don’t just have books, music, and movies that you can borrow for free (an adult membership is $12/year, but I’ve been told that they will waive the fee if you are unable to afford it), but they also give free film screenings at the Stanley A. Milner location downtown. I’ve gone to a few of the film screenings they’ve shown, and I’ve yet to be disappointed. I’ve been confused, and uncertain about what think about some of the movies, but I’ve never been disappointed. That said, they show mostly “art house” flicks, so if that’s not your thing, you might not enjoy the movies that are shown in the basement of the library. The Stanley A. Milber library also has an art gallery, that you can view for free. The current exhibit features the photography of Kan Ki Chiu.
• Embrace your inner child: visit a playground. When was the last time that you visited a playground? It might seem silly, but getting together with a group of over-sized kids for a game of sand tag can be surprisingly fun. If you’re into the idea of playing tag, but not into the idea of taking over the local playground, you might want to check out Manhunt.
• Have sex. I can almost guarantee that some joker was going to put this in the comments section. Well, now I’ve beat you to it. Having said that, if you’ve got a willing partner, it’s not a bad suggestion.

I’ve given you some ideas to get started. What other kinds of free fun can you have in Edmonton?