Skating at the Evergreen Brickworks

I finally got to skate at the Evergreen Brickworks.

Last year I skated behind the Brickworks buildings.  There is a series of Ponds that freeze. It required a shovel and an ability to skate around protrusions (branches, weeds, bricks thrown on half frozen ice) or to avoid less than perfect ice (leafs caught in the freeze) and a knowledge of priorities (eventually I realized I just needed to shovel a track to skate on and not clear a rink. 

I was not the only one who showed up with a shovel, I think some of the Dads took more pride in their shoveling than in the skating accomplishments of their rugrats. There was something thrilling about skating on 100% natural ice in fresh clean air....but lets be honest it is not Zambonied ice.

Back in the day all of the bricks that built Toronto came from the Don Valley Brickworks, but times change and the Brickworks fell into disrepair. The ruminants of the Brickworks have been operated by Evergreen a group that advocates environmental issues, sells organic plants and vegetables.  When I seen the sign on Bayview Avenue inviting skaters I initially thought that the ponds were being cleaned and flooded naturally. When I called to inquire I was told that the rink is in one of the dilapidated buildings.  the concrete floor has been flooded and the ice is maintained with shovels. As far as I can discern there is no Zamboni.  The concrete pillars would make it impossible for one to maneuver as far as I can see. 

The skating area is partly open air but most of the roof and walls is intact.  This prevented my GPS tracker from keeping track of my workout, but allowed the snow falling outside to fall on the ice.  I went on Thursday evening after work, not sure if it was timing or the fact that this is rink has been operating for just over a month but there was no crowd. The structure was very informal. Some practiced their figures, some skated in circles, some weaved around the pillars.  One or two speed junkies shooting up snow.  I practiced skating backwards between the pillars.

I have been curious to try this skating area since I became aware of its existence.  Next time I go to skate at the Brickworks I will take a shovel and skate on the ponds behind the buildings