Warming Huts enjoy musical opening at The Forks

From singing in outdoor showers to Al Simmons performances, The Warming Huts will have a noise-fuelled winter.

On Thursday morning, The Forks President and CEO Sara Stasiuk joyfully and officially kicked off the 2022 Warming Hut season. The bitter cold day did not stop work from happening, as the final touches on the huts were underway during the announcement.

Al Simmons, his son Carl, and "Rusty Robot" showed off what their hut, "Crazy Sounds" could do. 

"My dream is that I want to just hang around outside and listen to people in there laughing and playing the instruments," Simmons says.

Simmons will be performing at The Forks this weekend, proud to be working with his son on the project.

University of Manitoba's architecture students showed off a prototype of a literal warming spot. "A Warmer Place" with a fireplace that warms an attached counter will be placed at Thunderbird House.

University of Manitoba students warm their hands on their prototype for "A Warmer Place."

"It is not only theoretically warm, but it serves a purpose," student Sabba Rezai says. "The home of this warming hut is not here at The Forks, but rather at Thunderbird House to serve a purpose for the unsheltered community there."

Byas Gobal says he enjoyed being able to work on the project in person with his peers. Katie Toews says it is a "dignified space for them to come, and rest and eat."

David Anderson, an architect with the group that puts on The Warming Huts with The Forks, Sputnik Architecture, is helping piece together the huts from international competition winners who could not be there in person. He was working on "Singing in the Shower" Thursday morning.

"Singing in the Shower" was designed in Drøbak, Norway by Luca Roncoroni and Tina Soli.

"Shower at your own risk," jokes Anderson. "Maybe someone by themselves would be too shy perhaps, but if we can get a group of people singing in there, all the better."

A giant inflatable hand from China, Frontier School Division's BLOSSOMS, and more are part of An Art and Architecture Competition On Ice: Whimsy Abounds.