Despite the faint haze of wildfire smoke in downtown Winnipeg, dozens gathered Saturday morning for group yoga.
However, for the third annual Health and Wellness Day, hosted by Pegcity Steppers, the occasion wasn’t a sure thing. Shana Goodridge, a founding member, said they had to scramble to find indoor solutions due to the possibility that poor-air quality could put people at risk.
“I think it really brought it home for us,” explained Goodridge, reflecting on the past two years where air quality hadn’t been a concern. “We did not think about Plan B and what to do in case of. This year, when we saw the smoke, we were like, we need to come up with a risk management plan so that we can think about smoke and rain and the different things that could happen and how we would treat for it.”
Despite potentially losing some of the ambiences of being outdoors in downtown, Goodridge said they now have an indoor plan and will be proactive instead of reactive in the future.
The Health and Wellness Day has two objectives: to bring vibrancy back into the city’s downtown area and to build a community for people to participate in physical activity and engage in discussions on wellness. One of those discussions was smoke and respiratory conditions.
The impacts of smoky air have been a high priority for many. Goodridge, being asthmatic herself, said she can relate to the challenges and risks going outside this summer has brought.
“It’s really tough coming out of the cold winter months when you have to bundle up and be more indoors. So, you’re looking forward to being outdoors in the summer months, only to be confronted with the smoke. It can be challenging.”
Pegcity Steppers hold weekly runs throughout the year. For Shannet Walcott, who has been a part of the group since 2022, it was a fantastic community to build relationships, and as a newcomer, the perfect place to get to know Winnipeg. However, she said she has been forced inside this year by the smoke, away from an activity and community she has become so fond of.
“I have an ongoing congestion problem. Like, my allergies are absolutely terrible. And I’ve been working on it for like probably six months, several months now. So I’ve gone to end-to-end stuff. So it was getting better. But I realized, like, since June and July, I’m back in my congested state again. So I am outside a lot less, really. And it’s kind of sad because I really wanted to be outside more this summer.”
Despite her allergies, smoke wasn’t going to stop her from enjoying the event with the other Pegcity Steppers.
For Goodridge, Walcott, and many others with respiratory conditions, air quality can become another barrier to getting physically active. Not only can it make outdoor activity more difficult, as explained by nurses Andrea Herbert-Lugsdin and Joyce Plante, but it can also put the rest of your health at risk. “Your lungs will be struggling,” cautioned nurse Joyce Plante, emphasizing how smoke can restrict lung expansion and hinder breathing. “That will eventually affect the ability to move around or daily activities.
Andrea Herbert-Lugsdin added, “Listen to your body. If you are having any trouble with breathing, you must take precautions.” Prolonged exposure to smoky air can lead to both short-term issues, like irritated eyes and difficulty breathing, and long-term lung damage. “If you’re walking a block and your chest is heavy, you need to take that seriously.”
Both Plante and Herbert-Lugsdin recommended that if you’re going outside, wearing a mask can go a long way.
Although it can be frustrating being stuck indoors on the worst of days, there are still plenty of options to stay active. Goodridge and Walcott both keep a careful eye on forecasts and air quality, and on those poor days use a treadmill instead of walking outside. “It’s not the most ideal,” says Goodridge, “but at least you’re still getting that movement in.”
As for Health and Wellness Day, Goodridge is excited about what the Pegcity Steppers community has built, starting with a small group of friends who kept each other motivated and accountable and has evolved into a downtown community event.
“It’s mind-blowing because when we started, we didn’t envision this. We just saw it as us staying active. You know, it’s cold, we don’t want to be indoors. But now it’s more of a community, a movement, and we want to continuously give back to our community by offering different opportunities like this.”
Goodridge extended an open invitation to anyone looking to start their wellness journey to meet the Pegcity Steppers every Saturday at 7:30 a.m. at the Forks Market.
– Ryan Funk, U Multicultural
Related Articles:
https://u-channel.ca/building-community-through-fitness-and-wellness/
https://u-channel.ca/celebrating-culture-and-promoting-fitness/
