Owen Sound has three ice rinks, at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre, the Coliseum and the Good Cheer Rink at Harrison Park. The outdoor rink at Harrison Park is shared by shinny players and recreational skaters alike, using the “HOSE rule” -- Hockey on Odd days, Skating on Even days of the month. The rink is especially fun during the Festival of Northern Lights for the light displays that surround it. Admission is free.

The Coliseum offers free public skating on Sundays from 1:30 to 2:50 p.m. until March 11. The Bayshore has several programs running until March: pre-school skates on Mondays from 10 to10:50 a.m., noon-hour skates on Tuesdays and Thursdays, shinny on Wednesdays from noon until 12:50 p.m., figure skating on Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., and skating for kids 8 years and under on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.

The Bayshore offers free holiday skates over the winter break (Dec. 27-29 and Jan. 2-6), plus Family Day, Feb. 20 and over the March Break (March 12-16). Harrison Park, off 2nd Avenue East south of the downtown, is popular among families with its toboggan hill, skating rink, restaurant and open parkland, great for building snowmen or snow forts, or just burning off steam. Trails throughout the park are not groomed for skiing, but are nonetheless popular among cross-country skiers and people on snowshoes.

Snowshoes can be rented from local outfitters such as Suntrail Source for Adventure in Hepworth or Bikeface in downtown Owen Sound.  “If you can walk, you can snowshoe,” says Bikeface owner Doug Miller. “It’s environmentally friendly and allows you to explore places that you can’t in the summer.” Suntrail also rents crosscountry skis.

Ever seen a waterfall in the winter? Spectacular natural ice formations can be found at Inglis Falls, Jones Falls, Indian Falls and Weaver’s Creek falls, all in or near Owen Sound. Call the Tourism office at 519-371-9833 for a map, or download one from Owen Sound Tourism.  Snowmobiling is another popular sport in Owen Sound, and several accommodators offer special deals for people on sleds carrying valid permits. See the “packages” section of our site for more information.

You will also find people ice fishing in the Owen Sound harbour over the winter months. Permits are available from the Service Ontario office in Owen Sound at 1400-1st Ave. West. For more information, call 1-800-387-7011 or visit our fishing site. 

When the days start getting longer and the ice starts to thaw, many turn their thoughts to maple syrup. Grey Roots Museum & Archives holds an annual Maple Sugar Festival du sirop d’erable, where you can enjoy a full pancake breakfast, free hay rides, and watch “pioneers” making syrup at Moreston Heritage Village. This year’s festival is March 24th.