Bill Skrastins
Skrastins Outdoor Club, a seniors’ outdoor club for over 55’s, was founded in 1979 by Bill Skrastins. He established three seniors’ outdoor clubs during the 1970s, the M&M’s, Second Sixties and the club that bears his name.
At age 18 he was conscripted into the Latvian military and sent to Finland for ski training where he learned breathing and pacing techniques, which he would later teach to many Calgarians. After he was shot during enemy engagement, the ship evacuating Bill and other wounded soldiers was torpedoed. He survived by clinging to the wreckage; by any measure, he was both a rugged and skilled individual.
In 1924 Skrastins competed for Latvia in the World Championships in Finland, and later for Latvia in the Winter Olympics. Eventually, with his wife and three children he immigrated to the United States, and later to Canada in 1952.
Recognizing the burgeoning popularity of cross-country skiing, the City of Calgary recreation division contracted Skrastins, then 66, to teach people X-C skiing techniques at Confederation Park. A bench in the park is dedicated to his memory.
He obtained funding from government sources to help finance equipment and transportation to the mountains for members. Initially the club travelled by carpool to the mountains but by the 90s they had a contract with a school bus company to provide transportation every Friday. Members and guests now travel by comfortable 55-seat motor coach. Skrastins Outdoor Club currently has over 250 members who participate in X-C skiing and snowshoeing in winter, and hiking from spring to fall. Each outing has 3 levels of distance and difficulty for each sport, catering to interests and desired level of exertion. Social activities are also an important aspect of the club with strong member participation in all events.
Bill Skrastins built a lasting legacy for seniors in Calgary and area.
One Bus Ride
Endless Adventures
Credit for background information and photo of Bill Skrastins to: Brian Brennan, Calgary Herald May 24, 1994. Article edited by Esther Jackson found on Alberta Hiking Association website (https://abhiking.ca/skrastins-outdoor-club-whats-in-a-name) April 16, 2022.