People are already skating on Grenadier Pond in High Park
Grenadier Pond, like every summer loving heart in the city, has frozen over. For some, that means it's time to skate. While the city of Toronto has yet to post an official update about the ice conditions, local residents have already hit the ice.
People have been flocking to the western edge of High Park for weeks in hopes of gliding around atop the 35 acre body of water. Since the cold spell really kicked in late last month, many have ventured out onto the pond for a snowy skate.
The city only started allowing citizens to skate on Grenadier Pond again (legally) in 2015. Between 2001 and 2015, activity on the pond was deemed illegal. Then, as now, people tend to bend the rules, though in general it's become more safe to skate here.
City staffers now monitor ice levels on the pond throughout the winter, beginning each January. Flags are placed around the pond to let people know how risky venturing out onto the ice might be.
"The flag at the pond will indicate whether the pond is either: not safe (red flag), or use at your own risk (yellow flag), "reads the city's Public & Leisure Skating webpage.
These flags have yet to be posted this year, but are expected any day now in the midst of this deep cold spell.
While the city notes that Grenadier Pond "has been a recreational skating surface since the early days of Toronto," it does caution that High Park has no official skating program.
That means no ice clearing, maintenance, clubhouse, equipment rentals or protection from the elements.
Whether it's this rustic type of atmosphere, childhood nostalgia or simply the thrill of skating unsupervised on actual frozen water, Toronto is all about Grenadier Pond right now – and not just for skating!
Cross country skiers are loving the wide open fields of snow, too.
The city asks that skaters stay within designated areas and keep their dogs off the pond, but not everyone knows about the latter rule.
Dogs do have minds of their own, after all, and some of them just want to play in the pond – even if it's frozen solid.
