Great Skate #18 - Withrow Park

On Friday, February 8 we had the biggest snowstorm Toronto's had in years. School buses were cancelled, businesses closed early, flights were delayed and I saw cross-country skiers on city streets.

But it takes more than high winds and a few feet of snow to stop the Withrow Park Neighbourhood Skating Party, hosted by the Friends of Withrow Park.

A sign announcing a skating party in Withrow Park in 2013

My friends had warned me that last year's party was so popular that there was barely room to move on the rink. This year the weather thinned the crowd, but there were still lots of skaters of all ages who stayed out for hours.

It was a great way to spend a dark and stormy night. (Although I think was was more exhausted from trudging through the snowdrifts to get there than I was by the actual skating.)

Lots of people skating on an outdoor rink at night in snowy weather



















I went back on Sunday afternoon, in much milder weather, for part two of Great Skate #18. I skated with my friend Jen and her girls, and then with my sister's family.

Three small girls play in deep snow with an outdoor rink visible behind them



Rink Link update:

Found another great site: RinkWatch, "where backyard skating meets environmental science." Register your local natural ice rink, and record the skating conditions each day. The researchers at Wilfred Laurier University will compile the data to track climate change. It's like scientists on skates!




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