It's a favourite winter pastime for many, but did you know that tobogganing in undesignated areas in Calgary could land you a ticket?

There are 18 designated spots in Calgary for the popular winter activity. Sledding anywhere else is illegal and could land you a $100 fine.

Todd Reichardt, an employee of Calgary's parks department, said the city has not issued any tickets to rogue tobogganers. He said the city's aim in restricting the activity to approved sites is to ensure a safe experience for sledders.

"We have our staff go out weekly (and) they will inspect the sites to determine there is nothing impeding the toboggans as they go down the hill, " he said.

Reichardt added that city staff will get rid of any jumps that are built on the tobaggan hills.

Delano Civitarese has been coming St. Andrew's Heights for years. He says it's one of the better tobogganing hills in the city.

"When I was younger just going off those jumps with friends sticking like four or five people on one toboggan and just having fun."

Civitarese had no idea the bylaw existed.

1,100 Albertans injured last year

"I think it's pretty dumb. We're the ones putting ourselves at risk, right? I mean there should be no sort of enforcement on something like tobogganing."

Personal injury lawyer Stephen Nelson says this is all about liability, but he's never come across a lawsuit involving a tobogganing injury in Alberta in his 35 years practising law.

"People in Canada know you fall off a toboggan when you down a hill and there's a chance of risk and everyone assumes that risk so there's no liability in normal situations."

Nelson said there was a recent case in Ontario but the claimant was unsuccessful

Last year roughly 1,100 Albertans visited the emergency room for tobogganing injuries. The highest number of those injuries were youth aged five- to 17-years-old.

As outlined in the Parks and Pathways Bylaw, it is prohibited to toboggan or sled downhill in any park except in the parks listed below: