Ice sports enthusiasts and spectators headed to Toronto’s famed CN Tower this week to view what used to be a frozen lake that was once the epicenter of the 1976 “lake-effect” snowstorm are in for some big news: The CN Tower has “modernized” its policies.
The “Lake Effect” cold blast during the winter months four decades ago “developed into a permanent structure that thousands of visitors take advantage of every year,” the City of Toronto said Monday. The satellite view shows the newly expanded activity area, which includes a full ice rink and a larger viewing platform, on the north side of the CN Tower.
There is also a free winter festival for kids and families that is held every Wednesday from noon to 5 p.m. over 11 weeks, the first Wednesday starting Jan. 16.
Recreational sledding remains banned along the tower’s northern edge, but those seeking to take advantage of the ice are now allowed on the other side of the towers’ western edge.
Visitors will be allowed to ski, snowboard, walk, skate, sled, toboggan, climb, and explore the tower’s new activity areas.
Meanwhile, as the NHL’s Canada Day celebrations move to Toronto, the National Hockey League is allowing fans from warm cities to compete for cash.
Each of the 10 warmest NHL markets will send a rink goalie to compete at an NHL game to earn $25,000. Canada, home to some of the 10 warmest NHL markets, also became the only Western Division-host team that did not lose to a non-West Division opponent in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.