In December, Winter swept into the city with a flurry or two, but there was barely any accumulation. (Heck, you could still see the grass on Christmas morning!)
Now, mid-January, we’re truly snowed in – several times over – and if you can shovel yourself out, there’s a bunch of outdoor recreation opportunities to be taken advantage of. Whether it’s socially distanced skating, organized snowball fights and toboggan races in the park, or snowshoeing through the Don Valley, COVID-19 can’t keep Canadians from enjoying their favourite winter past times!
In this regard, now that the drifts are piled high, we have a lesser known attraction we’d like to tell you about that could really boost your snow sport game!
Did you know that 51-acre Earl Bales Park – located at Sheppard Avenue West & Bathurst Street – has its own ski lift?! Neither did we! Instead of having to drive hours outside of the city to hit the slopes, Torontonians who love to ski have a more convenient option close to home. Sure, it’s not Blue Mountain, but how cool is it that, if you want, you could jump on the TTC, ride up to Earl Bales, and fit a few runs in before your 1pm Zoom Meeting?!
Located at 4169 Bathurst Street, North York, Earl Bales Park is a popular leisure destination in all seasons, featuring a variety of walking trails, picnic sites, an outdoor amphitheatre, fire pits, a dog park… and, of course, a ski hill and lift!
It’s actually two hills, and they accommodate many different skill levels – ambitious beginners to the more advanced. The bunny hill is the classic rope tow, with plenty of squeals, wipe-outs, and pizza slicing happening left and right, while, on the second hill, more experienced slopers can choose from three runs.
Don’t relish a hike through knee-deep snow? No problem! To get to the top, grab a lift ticket and take a load off as you’re carried back up for a second, third or seventh run!
If it’s been a while since you brought your skis out of storage, or you’re bringing a friend or family member who is an enthusiastic (but ill-prepared) newbie, the park runs both ski and snowboarding lessons, as well as equipment rentals (hourly or daily) if you don’t own your own gear.
You can purchase a chair lift Season Snow Pass (for $270) the chair lift and enjoy unlimited runs all Winter, or, if you prefer a lower commitment, they also offer hourly tickets (for $21). Hitting the hill after work? There are lights for night skiing. They’re also equipped with snow making machines for extra powder when needed!
One word of warning – no tobogganing allowed. “Although ski hills are the dream to toboggan down, tobogganing is not allowed but there are a ton of hills around Toronto to slide down”.(BlogTO)
Hours are Monday to Friday 10am-9:30pm, Saturday 9am-8pm and Sundays 9am-6pm. We suggest calling beforehand to ensure that the slopes are open, as hours can be affected by COVID-19-related restrictions and occasionally temperature: 416-395-7931.
Photos courtesy of Instagram #earlbalesskicenter
Living in a city that offers almost everything and anything when it comes to recreation, there’s always something fun to do and someone to do it with. How wonderful would it be to live near Earl Bales Park, which offers rotating outdoor leisure opportunities season to season? Here’s a property we LEASED – and it’s just 30-minute transit or car ride straight up Bathurst to Earl Bales! A Spacious Sun-Soaked Town on Lawrence Avenue West!
If you enjoyed this blog, here are some of our other favourite parks!
A Lotta Love For Toronto’s High Park
Exploring Rennie Park In Swansea
Unwind In Eglinton Park Near Yonge & Eglinton
Rennie Park: A Vital Lockdown Playground!
Riverdale Park East In Toronto
We Adore Kew Gardens In The Beaches
East Lynn Park: The Heart Of A Community
Explore Expansive Sherwood Park In Midtown Toronto
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-The Urbaneer Team
Steven Fudge, Sales Representative
& The Innovative Urbaneer Team
Bosley Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage – (416) 322-8000
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