A ‘real’ Canadian winter eases COVID blues

For the second straight winter, Mother Nature is delivering an antidote to the COVID-19 blues.

That would be real winter: clear blue skies, fresh white snow, temperatures cold enough to freeze the scene in place but not so frigid that a glance out the window brings frostbite to mind. Prime wintry weather is also coinciding with what appears to be, fingers crossed, the start of the end of the Omicron spike. Health authorities are confident enough the worst is over that restrictions start to lift next Monday.

Most of the emphasis is on how that will affect things that happen indoors. Restaurants, theatres and gyms will reopen with limited capacity. Sporting events will have crowds again and people will be able to gather indoors with friends and family in larger numbers. Those are the big drivers of the economy and, for many people at this time of year, entertainment.

Children being back in class is a big focus and has already happened. Trent University and Fleming College will follow suit.

Outdoor event limits will also open up some, but in most conversations that’s a sidebar to what are considered more relevant advances.

Yet we know that one of the best ways to fight off the depressing effects of the pandemic is to get outside. It happens in the spring, summer and fall but less so in winter. That doesn’t have to be the case, and a number of local event organizers are leading the way to outdoor winter adventure.

Family Literacy Day happens Thursday. Included is The Great Outdoors Scavenger Hunt. Parents and their kids get a list of items that can be found during a walk around the block. With sunshine and decent winter clothing that could turn into a trip around several blocks, or out to the nearest park or green space to build a snow fort.

PolarFest in Selwyn Township is back and is scheduling outdoor events cancelled by COVID last year. The Polar Plunge is still virtual, but a family skate at the Ontario Speed Skating Oval in Lakefield is tailored to be COVID-compliant. Nordic Day offers equipment rentals and the trail at the Oval for anyone who wants to try cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.

Cross-country ski sales spiked last year during the first pandemic winter. Now is the time for haul those skis back out and head to a park, conservation area or just about any open space. The trails might not be official or professionally groomed, but they will be there.

There are plenty of skating opportunities, too. Not just at the Lift Lock, which is the best known outdoor rink in the region, but at neighbourhood rinks around the city.

For most, a winter walk is the easiest and most comfortable option. The city’s trail system is extensive and plowed. Jackson Park and the nature areas at Trent have more natural paths in addition to trails.

Winter can be grey but we heading into a burst of brightness. Think blue skies, not blue moods, and step outside the pandemic’s grip.