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You are on the [cover page] of folder [Media 2011-2012]See also Media 2010-2011, Media 2009-2010, Media 2008-2009 and Media2007-2008.
Media 2011-2012
YouTube short showing skating and ice-fishing on the pond.
posted on March 07, 2012
Outdoor ice hockey threatened by climate change: study
Published: Mar. 05 2012
Source: The Canadian PressCanada's favourite pastime is on its way to being an indoor-only sport in some areas of the country, a new study warns.
The study, released Monday by United Kingdom-based IOP Publishing, says outdoor ice hockey in Canada is being threatened by climate change.
Lawrence Mysak, co-author of the report and a professor at McGill University in Montreal, Que., said warmer winter temperatures caused by climate change is restricting the operation of ice rinks.
"We were able to see that in general, the rinks were being opened later and later over the last... 50 years, and secondly that the length of the season has also shortened by... one or two, sometimes three weeks," said Mysak from his office in Montreal last week.
posted on March 09, 2012
Global warming threatening Canada's outdoor hockey and skating
Published: March 5, 2012
Source: City News Toronto
Click to watch the video
posted on March 07, 2012
Ice hockey feels the heat in Canada
The future of Canadian outdoor ice hockey – a sport synonymous with the country’s culture – is being threatened by anthropogenic climate change, new research suggests.
Published: 5 March 2012
Source: IOP Institute of PhysicsAs warmer winter temperatures restrict ice from freezing over, researchers believe the ice hockey stars of the future will have limited access to the frozen lakes and backyard rinks that have helped shape the careers of some of the greatest professional players, such as Wayne Gretzky; the Canadian considered to be the greatest of all time who started skating as a child on a rink in his backyard.
Evidence of this was seen earlier this year when the world’s longest skating rink, the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa, was closed due to warmer-than-usual seasonal temperatures.
posted on March 07, 2012
Death of backyard rinks linked to climate change
By: Lesley Ciarula Taylor
Published: March 05, 2012
Source: The StarShorter Canadian winters could well mean no more Wayne Gretzkys, a scientific study reports Monday.
Five years of meticulous analysis by researchers at McGill and Concordia universities tracked evidence for the “significant shortening” of the outdoor skating season across Canada.
Fewer backyard rinks and less time on the ice means an attack on “a critical component of Canadian identity and culture,” the study says.
“Wayne Gretzky learned to skate on a backyard skating rink.”
Could hockey-mad Prime Minister Stephen Harper be persuaded of the dangers of climate change by the spectre of the end of backyard shinny?
posted on March 07, 2012
Outdoor ice hockey could perish in some areas of Canada: study
By: Aly Thomson
Published: 03/04/2012
Source: The Canadian PressOriginal article with video clip.
Canada's favourite pastime is on its way to being an indoor-only sport in some areas of the country, a new study warns.
The study, released Monday by United Kingdom-based IOP Publishing, says outdoor ice hockey in Canada is being threatened by climate change.
Lawrence Mysak, co-author of the report and a professor at McGill University in Montreal, Que., said warmer winter temperatures caused by climate change is restricting the operation of ice rinks.
"We were able to see that in general, the rinks were being opened later and later over the last... 50 years, and secondly that the length of the season has also shortened by... one or two, sometimes three weeks," said Mysak from his office in Montreal last week.
Mysak fears the gradual warming of the earth caused by burning fossil fuels could eventually cause the beloved outdoor activity to perish in several decades.
Video clip quote from Parks Director Richard Ubbens:
"We're running our compressors and our chilling plants a lot more aggressively. This year alone or hydro consumption was up considerably -- you know -- four or five-fold more expensive."
Editor's note: this is unlikely to be the case.
posted on February 11, 2012
The Fairmount Park ice masters take pains to make ice — and winter
By: Catherine Porter
Published: February 10, 2012 00:02:00
Source: The StarA sign just went up at the top of Fairmount Park. It reads: “Winterfest. Feb. 11, 2 to 5. Hockey. Toboggan. Music. BBQ. Prizes.”
At the bottom of the park near Coxwell Ave. and Gerrard St. E., a group of men pace around a mud pit, penned in by wooden boards. This is the hockey rink they built back in November and have been diligently flooding since New Year’s Day with nothing to show for it.
“It’s only negative 2 degrees,” says Jeff Smylie. “Is it worth trying again?”
“It’s going up to 4 degrees tomorrow,” counters Ray Bernard. “We flooded it three times last night and had some nice ice going. Look at it now.”
“I have 10 baseball mitts,” says Keith Rudyk.
“Anyone have a croquet set?”
A couple nights to Winterfest and still no winter.
What to do?
The winter that never was has been a boon for runners and cyclists and coyotes. For the natural ice rink aficionados across the city, it’s been misery.
We go up to the local bar to drown our sorrows.
posted on February 13, 2012
Kids skate and slide on outdoor ice rink thanks to residents
Elizabeth Simcoe Park home to one of Scarborough's few outdoor ice rinks
By:MIKE ADLER
Published: Feb 3, 2012
Source: Inside TorontoIt's amazing what a little ice rink can do.
Separated by a snow fence from the rest of Elizabeth Simcoe Park in Guildwood, 10 children were on skates Monday afternoon racing, jumping, turning tight circles, sliding or just laying on the ice, which neighbourhood parents had created.
"It's a lot different from being inside on an indoor rink," said Scott Wardle, 9. "There's no stands, there's no boards. The ice is kind of bumpy but it's still very nice."
Ice pads on baseball diamonds and other patches of grass were once common in east Toronto. It seemed like every park had one, said Hilary Wollis of Friends of Elizabeth Simcoe Park.
"That was a big part of our childhood."
Now it's a novelty for children in Scarborough to skate outdoors as they once did, said Wollis, surveying the park rink's homemade benches and plastic milk crates guarding a corner with rough ice.
"We have lost something over the decades by not doing this." Read more >>
posted on January 28, 2012
Women's shinny tournament takes to outdoor rinks
By: LISA RAINFORD
Published: Jan 27, 2012 - 10:18 AM
Source: Inside TorontoWhen Deirdre Norman began playing shinny with her husband and son eight years ago, she noticed "a huge discrepancy" between men and women's ice time.
That was the catalyst for The Women of Winter Outdoor Shinny Tournament in Dufferin Grove Park, which Norman founded in collaboration with Toronto parks and recreation.
"I thought we should have a celebration on our outdoor rink," said Norman.
Part of the city's parks and rec programming, this year's tournament takes place over the Feb. 3 weekend. The city provides the ice and facilities and The Women of Winter, led by Norman, run the tournament which has been gaining momentum since its inception seven years ago.
posted on January 18, 2012
Lucky Torontonians get to skate in the rain
By: RYAN LUM and MARK DANCE
Published: January 15, 2012
Source: thechronicleherald.caOur outdoor hockey road trip seemed to be taking a turn for the worse as we drove through the pouring rain into Toronto. The temperature was well above freezing and conditions looked more favourable for a swim than for a skate.
But as we got farther into town, we started to spot games of shinny hockey in large, well-lit outdoor rinks. We soon discovered Canada’s metropolis has the best winter can offer: 51 outdoor rinks, all outfitted with refrigeration systems — the most compressor-cooled outdoor rinks of any city in the world.
This means that one of Canada’s warmest places has one of the country’s longest skating seasons. The cooling system can keep the surface hard and smooth up to 15 C, so T-shirt hockey in March is common.
Content last modified on February 12, 2015, at 09:42 AM EST