Six things for you to do this weekend in the Hamilton area
It may be cold but the promise of sun on Saturday will make your weekend shine.
Environment Canada is calling for sunny skies on Saturday and that should warm your hearts. Temperatures this weekend should remain seasonal with highs of -2 C and lows around -10. Clouds and flurries are expected to return Sunday, according to the national weather service.
Looking for something to do? There are still at least three weeks left in Ontario's stay-at-home order. Leaving your home for outdoor exercise is allowed. According to the provincial regulations, outdoor activities are exempt as exercise is an essential part of both physical and mental health.
Please continue to follow all COVID-19 precautions and regulations.
Here are six things, some virtual and some outdoors, for you to do this weekend in the Hamilton area.
TOBOGGANING
Hamilton city council has approved four hills within the city as designated for tobogganing. Hills include: Chedoke Golf Course - Beddoe Course, 563 Aberdeen Ave.; Garth and Stonechurch Reservoir, 1515 Garth St.; King's Forest Golf Course, 100 Greenhill Ave.; and Waterdown Memorial Park, 200 Hamilton St., Waterdown.
Burlington has designated five areas that are safe for tobogganing. They include: LaSalle Park, east of the parking lot; Central Park on the hill northwest of the community garden; Brant Hills Park, southwest of the tennis courts; Nelson Park on the east side of park, north of the Centennial bike path; and Lowville Park on the hill at the southwest end of the park. To ensure public safety, the toboggan hill at Tyandaga Golf Course is closed for this year due to nearby culvert construction work happening over the winter.
OUTDOOR RINKS
Thinking about skating this weekend? The Spectator's Sebastian Bron wrote about Hamilton's outdoor rinks, Headed to an outdoor rink in Hamilton? Here's what you need to know." Four city-operated rinks - one in central Hamilton, one in Dundas and two in Flamborough - are operated by a new reservation system launched to limit overcrowding. Slots for one-hour skate sessions open every Sunday and are restricted to Hamilton residents. Open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., a Zamboni floods the rink every hour so skaters always have fresh ice. The 26 or so outdoor neighbourhood rinks are mostly waiting on more cold and some snow to create the base.
Hamilton's Waterfront Trust outdoor rink is open (no skate rental) daily starting at 8 a.m. with maximum of 25 participants and sessions limited to an hour and 10 minutes. Skating is free. hamiltonwaterfront.com
In Burlington, the outdoor ice at Burlington Rotary Centennial Pond is open. Located at the Waterfront at Downtown Burlington, the rink is open most days from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and skating is free; however, online, pre-registration is required and can be booked no more than 25-hours in advance. Visit burlington.ca/skating
Artificial outdoor rinks are located at Hidden Valley Park and Spencer Smith Park in Burlington. Skating will require registration ahead, no walk-ins. Visit burlington.ca
BLACK HISTORY SERIES
Niagara Parks is hosting a three-part virtual speaker series exploring perspectives on Black history and culture in Canada, delivered by leading historians and commentators. The online events will be held on the last Wednesday of the month in January, February and March. Sign up today, the interactive online sessions are: Jan. 27: Rosemary Sadlier, Blacks in the Military; Feb. 24: Saladin Allah, The Power of Cultural Competence; and March 31: Rochelle Bush, Fugitive Freedom Seekers Escape to Niagara. Tickets are $15 per event, or all three events for $35. Additional details and tickets are available at niagaraparks.com/blackhistory.
VIRTUAL YMCA
So many things to do and you don't have to go anywhere to do them. Keeping you safe, moving and active is ywearehere.ca. Many new programs have been added to the programming for adults and children. All the content is free and can be done from home. This week, the Y started the 20 for 21 challenge, chock full of ideas to keep people motivated to do 20 minutes of physical activity for 21 days. There are instructional videos, physical literacy content (YGym for children ages 5-9) and so much to keep us all active and connected. https://ywearehere.ca/body/
RBG HIKES
While the Royal Botanical Gardens is temporarily closed, their trails and trailhead parking, including the Arboretum will remain open. Washroom facilities will not be available. Some trails are closed due to weather impacts. Visit rbg.ca/onthetrails for up-to-date information. Virtual At-Home Activities also continue online.
LOOK AHEAD
Now is the time to sign up for the Valentine's Day Mardi Gras Dinner to support Interval House of Hamilton. The dinner is Saturday, Feb. 13. Purchase your dinners at intervalhousehamilton.org/donations and select Mardi Gras Dinner" from the drop-down menu. Dinners must be purchased by Feb. 5 and can be picked up Feb. 13 between 4-6 p.m. at the front of Carmen's Banquet Centre, 1520 Stone Church Rd. E.
To note. Hamilton presses winter into high gear next weekend with Hamilton Winterfest 2021. The event kicks off on Jan. 29, bringing more than 50 virtual events to be enjoyed from the comforts of Hamiltonian homes. Winterfest runs Jan. 29 to Feb. 15.
Jennifer Moore is an editorial assistant at The Spectator in Hamilton. Reach her via email: jmoore@thespec.com