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Wednesday, February 11, 2009
A perfectly-chilled winter for back-yard rinks
posted by jmeagher at 17h21
Youngsters play hockey at Bourgeau rink in Pointe Claire. (John Kenney)
There is something wonderfully Canadian about skating on outdoor ice.
The fresh air, sunshine and hissing of blades over naturally frozen surface makes for a far more enjoyable game of shinny than a game at your local indoor arena.
West Islanders who are keepers of their own backyard rinks inform me it’s been a banner year for ice making, despite several heavy snowfalls.
Some home-made rinks have been in use since November, while many municipally-maintained rinks have boasted their best ice in years, thanks to Mother Nature, who apparently prefers putting her own wintery spin on Global Warming.
Pond hockey tournaments are also growing in popularity around the country, as Canadians get back in touch with their hockey roots.
This weekend, dozens of minor hockey teams will participate in the Best Buy Hockey Festival in Laval. Games will be played on a frozen pond at Centre de la Nature and a Zamboni will be used to make the playing surface smooth.
Another celebration of hockey takes place the following weekend (Feb 20-22) at the second annual International Hockey Festival in Vaudreuil-Dorion and St. Lazare. Pond hockey will take place on the Lake of Two Mountains, near Château Vaudreuil.
This week’s weather forecast is calling for mild weather, even rain, for the next day or so.
But after that, temperatures should cool off again, making for smooth-skating straight through till March.
Weather permitting, look for some the best outdoor skating of the winter if the coming weeks.