As he spends his days flooding the surface of the Lions Park tennis courts to make ice, Newmarket’s Chris Howie has a special wish for Santa.
Howie has run the community hockey rink there for 10 years, with hundreds of people of all ages enjoying the skating surface. But after briefly opening in November last year, the rink remains closed today due to the milder winter weather.
“My wish to Santa is for minus 10 and cloudy,” he said. “Stop putting the 10-degrees and up in my stocking. I need some cold weather.”
The inconsistent, warmer weather in the area has challenged rinks like Howie’s. Environment and Climate Change Canada said that due to El Niño weather conditions, there will be higher-than-normal temperatures in the country this winter, intensified by human-induced climate change.
Howie said the battle with nature is regular in his efforts to run the rink, but it is frustrating this year.
“I can’t worry about things I can’t control,” he said. “I’m used to ups and downs.”
Newmarket faced its first big snowfall this week, with some snow remaining on the ground. That made for good ice-making conditions, Howie said. Although he had hoped to have the rink ready for the holidays, the temperatures forecast for next week — Environment Canada is predicting temperatures above freezing — make that a challenge.
Mother Nature is “going to put us back in the penalty box,” Howie said, adding that his goal is to provide a rink for kids who cannot afford organized sports. “It’s a bit frustrating in that respect.”
"El Niño is not a fan of hockey, I guess," Howie added.
Unlike the rink at Newmarket’s Riverwalk Commons, Howie’s and other rinks are not refrigerated, making them less able to withstand the warm fluctuations.
He said many with home rinks have not bothered to start getting them ready, Howie said.
“Someone said recently, ‘Why bother?’ Howie said. “I never had access to hockey. I never played organized hockey … I’m doing the rink for the children who are like me, who were coming from families that may not have the funds. We all know a lot of people are struggling.”
Still, the community expresses appreciation for his efforts, Howie said.
Newmarket Mayor John Taylor spotlighted Howie in a recent Facebook post.
“Thank you, Chris Howie, for the hundreds of hours you contribute each year to make sure that kids have an amazing place to share and play hockey,” Taylor said.
Municipal staff have also been good, Howie said, helping supply things like pylons.
The town floated using the courts for a pickleball facility that would be bubbled over the winter. But the municipality ultimately decided to go to another location due to issues with the site.
But the courts remain a great place for a hockey rink, Howie said, with good shade and wind.
Other members of the community also pitch in to help with flooding, he said, like Greg McElroy. But he said he could use more help from younger people when he puts an SOS out.
It is not the first year that the rink's opening has been later, Howie said. If nothing else, the rink should be able to open with temperatures dropping in January.
In the meantime, he continues to monitor the rink, and is using plywood in an attempt to preserve the ice on the warmer days.
“I'm doing everything I can to try and get it open as soon as I can," Howie said.
