Great Skate #41: Trinity-Bellwoods Park, Toronto
After the thrill (and cost) of skating in New York City, it was interesting to skate in Toronto again and notice the differences. On January 29, I went to the rink in Trinity-Bellwoods Park in the west end with my oldest niece, who is now Ten. It was a long streetcar ride to get there, and then a fair hike from the park entrance to the rink. The rink itself is the basic standard for rinks in this city: a single ice pad, surrounded by "hamster cage" fencing, with some benches near the rink. A short walk away is the changeroom/staff office, which has washrooms. No special amenities, no music, no frills. But also, no admission fee. Child's mandatory skating helmet, Roots trackpants, Maple Leafs ad and (out of frame) Tim Horton's ads too... yep, the Great Skate Project is back home. While it's basic, the Trinity-Bellwood had everything we needed for a good afternoon of skating. There were a dozen or so skaters with us on the ice. Some were proficient skaters...