The Ice at Grenadier Pond

I skated twice at Grenadier Pond yesterday, because it is so good! Well, to be honest, I returned in the afternoon because I spent most of my time shovelling in the morning, and wanted to enjoy the fruits of my labour.

I cleared an oval that's probably about 150 or 175 meters. The corners are not as well laid out as at Martin Grove, but it's skateable at a reasonable speed. The only challenge is when you get many other skaters, because it's narrow for passing.

I parked off Ellis Avenue just north of the Queensway. There's a place where you can walk onto the Pond near that corner. The oval I cleared is about half-way up the pond. I walked up and put my skates on a friendly couple's dock near a big hockey rink that they cleared. The hockey rink is just north of the oval. If you don't want to walk that far, there's a smaller "oval" right at the south end of the pond by Ellis, that goes around a smaller shinny rink. Only problem with that one is a really tight corner at one end.

Bring along a snow shovel and check the Pond out. The ice is great!

See you Tuesday,

Jay

Grenadier Pond

It's been sooo cold lately, that I was wondering if Grenadier Pond would be open.

Well, I'm a little behind the times... Last week, there was an article in the National Post about skating on the Pond. In it, David Michael Lamb of CBC Radio is quoted as saying:

"I'm an avid speed skater and I love long track speed skating on big open tracts of ice," he says.

"Normally you'd have to go to Ottawa or Lake Placid or Calgary or Quebec City. When Grenadier Pond freezes and the conditions are perfect, then we come out here and skate. The ice is flat and thick and fast."

See you at Martin Grove Rink tonight, and out on the Pond this weekend!

Jay

What a week!

Winter has caught up with us here in Toronto; I'm glad we're not skating tonight. It would be as cold as it was a week ago Thursday, when only Annemieke, Tineke and I braved the elements. Both evenings this week were much more comfortable to be out on our skates.

Tuesday, Eric ran a brisk practice that allowed us to stay warm and work on our technical skills. On Thursday, we had a free skate which gave us a chance to chat and to practice the drills we did on Tuesday.

And our numbers continue to grow, we're at 29 members! Dennis and Andy joined us this week. I know that you'll make them and our other new members feel a welcome part of our club.

See you on the ice next week,

Jay