Skating is one sport that the majority of Canadians know how to do. I learnt from a very young age- think about 3 to skate. It was on a little patch of ice at the local school. Children go through several pairs of skates in their lifetime. Even while at York University, I would go with a group of friends to skate recreationally at the arena there after class. When my children were younger I would skate with them. Adolph made a backyard rink for several years at our old house in Thornhill and again when we moved to Richmond Hill. It was easier to put the kids in the backyard skating than driving somewhere with them. Every town and city across Canada has indoor and outdoor rinks for skating pleasure. Here in Richmond Hill, many people go to the Mill Pond for outdoor skating. Recreational and professional skating in varied fields such as figure skating, speed skating and hockey are enjoyed everywhere here in Canada. Did you know the oldest indoor skating rink is in Montreal, Quebec built in 1862- Victoria Skating Rink? The first Stanley Cup playoffs were played there in 1894. The Olympic Plaza in Downtown Calgary has had winter skating since the 1988 Olympics. Our Nation's capital- Ottawa- has the Rideau Canal Skateway- 7.8 km or 4.8 miles long. Doing some research for this blog I discovered it is not the longest- Winnipeg, Manitoba- has the longest ice skating rink- 8.5 km or 5.3 miles long. I wonder if family members living there have skated it and can brag about their accomplishments!! Although a small rink in comparison, Nathan Phillip's Square in Toronto is a fun skate. Reminds me of my youth and a cheap date there with Adolph! Children and youth everywhere enjoy their local arenas, frozen ponds or rivers. Many famous hockey stars started this way. Winter skating- a reason to be outside with the little ones! Do you have favourite places you like to go skating?
Thursday, January 20, 2011
SKATING CANADIAN STYLE
Skating is one sport that the majority of Canadians know how to do. I learnt from a very young age- think about 3 to skate. It was on a little patch of ice at the local school. Children go through several pairs of skates in their lifetime. Even while at York University, I would go with a group of friends to skate recreationally at the arena there after class. When my children were younger I would skate with them. Adolph made a backyard rink for several years at our old house in Thornhill and again when we moved to Richmond Hill. It was easier to put the kids in the backyard skating than driving somewhere with them. Every town and city across Canada has indoor and outdoor rinks for skating pleasure. Here in Richmond Hill, many people go to the Mill Pond for outdoor skating. Recreational and professional skating in varied fields such as figure skating, speed skating and hockey are enjoyed everywhere here in Canada. Did you know the oldest indoor skating rink is in Montreal, Quebec built in 1862- Victoria Skating Rink? The first Stanley Cup playoffs were played there in 1894. The Olympic Plaza in Downtown Calgary has had winter skating since the 1988 Olympics. Our Nation's capital- Ottawa- has the Rideau Canal Skateway- 7.8 km or 4.8 miles long. Doing some research for this blog I discovered it is not the longest- Winnipeg, Manitoba- has the longest ice skating rink- 8.5 km or 5.3 miles long. I wonder if family members living there have skated it and can brag about their accomplishments!! Although a small rink in comparison, Nathan Phillip's Square in Toronto is a fun skate. Reminds me of my youth and a cheap date there with Adolph! Children and youth everywhere enjoy their local arenas, frozen ponds or rivers. Many famous hockey stars started this way. Winter skating- a reason to be outside with the little ones! Do you have favourite places you like to go skating?
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i used to skate all the time when i was younger. but, in my 20s, i sprained both ankles playing hockey one winter. have had rubber ankles ever since. so no more skating for me.
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