The cold weather has been great not only for the Rideau Canal Skateway, but for backyard rinks across eastern Ontario as well.
For one family from Navan in Ottawa’s east end, it’s been a tradition for more than a decade.
“It’s definitely a part of my childhood, not only for my personal growth, but also for my friends,” said William Blake.
William and his two younger brothers grew up playing hockey in their backyard. It’s where James Blake one day hopes to add his name to the list of greats written on the boards.
“I skate a lot, I make my own drills,” he said. “I’m homeschooled, so I get to come out here every break I have.”
It’s a love started by their father Patrick more than a decade ago.
“I started about 14 years ago and it started off just as a very basic Canadian Tire 12 x 12 rink-in-a-box kit,” he said.
“Before the first year was over, I had already expanded it to 12 x 24 and then it grew every year after that for about five or six years, until it got to the size it’s at now.”
On any given day, you’ll find Patrick cleaning and smoothing the ice, even into the late hours of the night.
“It’s pretty simple,” he said.
“I’ve made a little homemade Zamboni. It hooks up to the garden hose with hot water and it takes about 10 or 15 minutes to apply the water and it’s ready to go.”
Thanks to mother nature, the backyard rink season started early this year after two years of warmer than usual winters.
“We’ve had a lot of good durations of the cold snap so yeah, the weather’s been really good for it,” said Keean Blake.
Over the years, it’s not just a place for the family to play, but a hub for friends and family.
“It’s just a dream come true for the kids, and I really hope that maybe when they grow up and they get older, they’ll do the same thing,” said Jennifer Blake.
