Conservator

The skinny on shinny

Connecting wetlands and communities to our national winter sport

By Camille Llosa December 09, 2024

In the depths of a Canadian winter, we might imagine northern landscapes as mostly dormant and silent. But look again: this is the season when a unique species appears on frozen ponds and wetlands in communities across the country — the shinny hockey player.

Festooned in crested jersey plumage, shinny players may be crowned with pom-pom knit caps, while others are bareheaded and brazen against the cold. With well-used hockey sticks in hand, they migrate to the ice, dropping a puck to start the action.

Playing shinny on a frozen pond is a time-honoured pastime made possible by healthy wetlands. Requiring little equipment, shinny is an inclusive and accessible way to participate in our national winter sport of hockey. Bringing together neighbours, friends and sometimes even strangers, an impromptu game of outdoor pickup immerses players in the beauty of nature, building an appreciation for winter landscapes and wildlife.

This includes Toronto-based artist Jennifer Walton, whose children learned how to skate on Grenadier Pond in the city’s High Park neighbourhood. “If the winter was snowy and cold for long enough, we would walk over with shovels and hockey sticks on the weekends…and try to keep one or two shinny rinks going for as many weeks as possible,” says Walton. “If you are there long enough, you will see wildlife like red-tailed hawks, coyotes and the occasional fox. I’ve even seen a bald eagle. And of course, there are numerous ducks in the stream at the north end near the reeds.”

Walton’s art celebrates her experiences of the natural world often found close to home. “I did my first Pond Hockey painting in 2009. At that point winters in Toronto were neither consistently cold nor long. Since then, the winters here have generally gotten shorter, warmer, and more interrupted by temperature fluctuations. The chance of getting safe ice for a sustained stretch of time has become much reduced. These paintings therefore reflect the fragility of place in a changing climate.”

The subjects in Walton’s winter-themed oil-on-canvas artworks are family, friends, and sometimes the ice itself. “The surface of a frozen pond altered with skate marks already looks like a painting,” notes Walton. Visit jenniferwalton.com to see her work.

Ice Like Glass by Jennifer Walton, a Canadian fine artist based in Toronto. © Jennifer Walton

Ducks Unlimited Canada and pond hockey: A natural partnership

Since the 1800s Canadians have skated and played on naturally formed ice rinks; the first recorded pond hockey tournament took place in Kingston, Ontario in 1889.

“The thrill of heading to the local pond each winter and lacing up some skates is pretty core to the Canadian experience and transcends generations,” says Janine Massey, DUC’s chief marketing and communications officer. “We’re proud that the work we do supports wildlife, water quality improvements, climate resilience and community recreation.”

That’s why we’re excited to team up with players and fans of our most beloved and iconic game to celebrate the contribution ponds and wetlands make to our culture, community, environment and national sport with our Small Ponds, Big Goals campaign.

This campaign will showcase the role that healthy wetlands have in fostering community, connection to nature and athletic development. We want to hear about your link to pond hockey, winter wetlands, and how your experiences have impacted your love of nature. Submit your stories for a chance to win great prizes including monthly giveaways plus a chance at a weekend VIP package to the 2025 Hockey Hall of Fame induction weekend.

Learn more and submit your stories at ducks.ca/hockey

(Wild)life below and above the ice

While winter wetlands may look dormant, there is life beneath the surface. Frogs, salamanders and turtles take refuge in the mud beneath the ice and freshwater fish move to deeper waters and conserve energy. Some duck species remain, including buffleheads, hooded mergansers and common goldeneyes that can be seen in ice-free openings and along shorelines of large lakes or ocean coasts.

Safety first

Skating on frozen ponds is fun, but there are precautions you should take before lacing up:

• Thickness: Skate only on ice that is 20+ centimetres thick.
• Colour: Clear blue and black ice is the strongest. Grey is unsafe to stand on as it indicates the presence of water. White or opaque ice should be avoided.
• Weather: Temperatures consistently below freezing make for stronger and safer ice. Early or late winter can make for more dangerous conditions.

(Source: Canadian Red Cross)