Great Skate #9 - Murray Street Park (Orillia)

It's always good to get away from familiar settings for a while and broaden your horizons. It makes you realize what you've been taking for granted.

Great Skate #9 took place on Sunday, February 19 in Orillia, where I was visiting my parents for the long weekend. (And also celebrating my dad's birthday. Happy Birthday, Dad!) The rink is just a few blocks away from their house. To call it low-key is an understatement. It's a perfectly decent, natural ice rink. But that's all it is. There are no benches, no lights, no fence, not even a sign.

I didn't even realize it was one of the rinks listed on the Orillia rinks website until my dad pointed out that this rink, located on Murray Street, was in fact the Murray Street Park Rink. I thought it was just an empty lot that some enterprising neighbours flooded and froze. And I know it makes me sound like I don't get out of the big city often enough, but I'm amazed there isn't at the very least a "skate at your own risk" sign posted.

Anyway, my horizons were broadened.


The whole family came out. We were the only ones on the rink.

Some of us skated...

Some of us walked around with the skaters....

And some of us decided to take a rest on the snowbank.
(Yes, snowbanks! That's something we don't take for granted in the big city.)



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