While not everyone appreciates the recent drop in temperatures and another snow day at school, it has served as the perfect recipe to finally get outdoor skating rinks around Barrie up and running.
Brett Mosley, the city’s parks maintenance supervisor, told BarrieToday there are seven outdoor rinks that are looked after by city staff and 26 looked after by volunteers. However, there are currently five community rinks — Lennox, Lougheed, Catherine, Cloughley and Dock — that are without volunteers.
Mosley said of all those rinks, as of Jan. 14, 12 were in various stages of ice, but noted after this weekend’s cold temperatures, he anticipates all rinks will have ice ready for use. He also noted city staff were scheduled to work this past weekend in order to get the rinks up and running.
“All we needed was cold weather and Mother Nature provided that,” he said, adding he expected rinks to be "in good shape" by today.
“With the arenas closed, this is a great opportunity to get out and hone those skills for when hockey opens back up… (and) with the recent health restrictions, outdoor rinks are a great way to get outside, enjoy some fresh air and get some exercise," Mosley said. "Skating on an outdoor rink is a great way to embrace winter.”
Doug Osmond, a longtime volunteer with his neighbourhood rink at Bayshore Park in the city’s southwest end, says keeping the ice — which spans the size of the baseball diamond — has truly become a community effort over the years.
“There are a lot of people in the neighbourhood that help get this rink up and running,” he told BarrieToday, adding he’s been involved since the mid-1990s. “There was no activity in our park in the wintertime. We had young boys at the time, and figured it would be a good way to get them out, and to do it for the neighbourhood as well. Over the years, it’s gotten a lot of use.”
This winter, he said the number of people using the rink has “exploded."
“More and more families are definitely using it, especially with the schools and online learning. When they’re done with their classes they are out here on the rink," Osmond said. "It’s been very busy, for hockey and for pleasure, too. You definitely have to share the rink to make this all work."
Young people who come and use it often bring shovels to clear the ice when it’s needed, he added.
“This has been a great community builder. It just brings the community together.”
Shawn Currie and his family discovered the community rink a few years ago and say they now come as often as possible.
“It was more COVID that got us out here, when everything shut down. You can’t go to the gym and hockey and all of the other sports are on hold, so it’s important to get outside and take advantage of it,” he said. “It’s a life saver.”
Jamison Currie, 15, admits having a rink so close to home is definitely handy.
“I just walk through the trail and I’m right here. It’s great to be able to get outside, especially when times are tough," he said.
Matt Abram grew up in the neighbourhood and moved back with his own family three years ago. Along with being one of the volunteers who keep the rink up and running, he also uses it regularly, and was there Sunday morning with his four-year-old daughter, Riley, whom he said is getting more confident each time she steps on the ice.
“It’s great for us and the kids to get out and have some fun. She loves zipping around and her little brother will be following behind her soon,” he said. “Since we use it I feel we should be there to help.”
Riley said it’s fun to get to have time with her dad, sliding around on the ice and playing hockey.
Fifteen-year-old Landon Fortner travels to Barrie from Innisfil to play shinny at the Centennial Park Community Rink along the city’s lakeshore about three times a week. He told BarrieToday he likes the rink because there are always a lot of people to play with, including kids his own age.
“It's usually a lot of fun,” he said while lacing his skates Sunday afternoon. “My hockey got cancelled, so now I get to play with kids my own age and I get friends to come here, so we all play.”
Miranda Rowswell braved the cold Sunday to watch her husband, Andrew, out on the ice with their three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Annabelle, at Circle at the Centre, which is located at Barrie City Hall. This was the family’s second time at the rink, and Rowswell told BarrieToday it’s a great opportunity to have quality time with family and friends and to meet new people, especially during a time when everyone is pretty isolated at home.
“It’s fantastic to get outside and enjoy fresh air and the community," she said.
The Simcoe County Museum also officially opened its skating trail on Sunday in Midhurst, but noted snowshoeing with use of the facility’s equipment remains closed while the facility is closed.
For more information on the city’s outdoor rinks, including hours of operation, residents are encouraged to visit www.barrie.ca/rinks for additional info.
