Great Skate #25 - Washago Rink (Simcoe County)

After the disappointment of Great Skate #24, my dad and I headed up Highway 11 to Washago, on the north end of Lake Couchiching.

This tiny town has a skating rink that's pretty close to the platonic ideal. It restored my faith in small community rinks.

Surrounded by boards (and snow drifts), the rink has easy access to the warmth (and washrooms) of the community centre next door. A picnic table surrounded by rubber mats makes it easy to change into and out of your skates. The ice was in decent shape, a bit rough but certainly skateworthy.

The rink is big enough to accommodate a hockey game, which means there's lots of room for kids to play shinny while other skaters do laps and practice their glides. There were about a dozen people there when we arrived, and more coming on when we left.

Outdoor ice rink with children skating and playing ice hockey


A pair of black leather ice skates that look very old
I was hoping my dad would join me on this rink, but he changed his mind.

Maybe I shouldn't have made fun of his skates. (If mine are vintage, his look like antiques.)
Location: Washago, ON, Canada

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