About Us

For the past 30 years Alf Skrastins has led the Outdoor Centre with vision and commitment, from founding the fledgling Centre to its present status as one of the largest Outdoor Centres in North America. As Alf prepares for retirement his dedicated team of experts and myself, Kurt Kinnear as Director, are committed to continuing his vision of providing quality programs and services for everyone, from the novice day-tripper to the veteran outdoor enthusiast.

As always we are open to both the on-campus and off -campus community. For more than 30 years now we have been at the forefront of providing Calgarians, Albertans and visitors from around the globe with skills, equipment and access to the best recreational opportunities available. In addition to a broad array of course offerings, the Outdoor Centre provides over 10,000 well-maintained rental items. And for those with their own gear, professional maintenance as well as courses on intenance are available.

While the majority of our programs are offered outdoors, our climbing wall, bouldering wall and pool kayak sessions will help keep you active indoors as well. While we continue to offer the same great service and variety, you may notice some changes. This program guide offers a more compact schedule for spring and summer. As we maintain, and even expand, the wide variety of course types we offer, we are also narrowing the number of sessions options to enhance the quality of the experience for our users. As before, all our courses are taught by passionate outdoors people who are recognized as experts in their fields.

We have also recently undergone a reorganization of staff positions, which will make our internal operations more efficient, resulting in a smoother workflow for our staff , and, no doubt, reflect in our ability to serve you - our users.

Another improvement we hope to pursue over the coming months (and possibly years) is relocating to a larger, more suitable space. As Calgary's, and perhaps North America's, largest outdoor centre, we are bursting at the seams with our over 10,000 outdoor rental items. Our current facility can hold no more, and so we will be looking at the possibility of relocating as soon as practically possible. Addressing current parking issues and enhancing customer service wherever possible is an integral part of this plan to move.

So while you may see some changes in the coming months and years, we will stand fast on the values and vision that have brought us to where we are. We promise you:

• A wide variety of quality programs covering virtually every outdoor
  activity imaginable,

   

  • Experienced and passionate guides and instructors - many of whom
    are industry leaders and certified professionals,

     

    • Quality repair and maintenance services, and
    • Affordable, high-quality rentals

    
    We look forward to the exciting times that our programs and potential future expansion will bring to staff and users of our facility alike.

    Kurt Kinnear
    Director
    Outdoor Centre