THUNDER BAY -- Carol Merlo knows she has been in Thunder Bay for a while when she describes a December day as being “warm.”
The Confederation College student from Brazil was among those enjoying a city hosted Winter Funday at the Prince Arthur’s Landing skating rink on Sunday afternoon, with her sister and mother making the trip north from South America to spend Christmas with her.
“We don’t have snow in Brazil so we have to enjoy this warm weather,” she said. “It’s warm for me because after – 40C last winter this is really good.”
The day of activities, which included skating, games, and arts and crafts marks an end to the city’s recognition of 100 years of play, which saluted the creation of the playgrounds program in 1914.
Family was a theme of the afternoon, with many out celebrating the holiday season.
Riley Burton was down on the ice with his wife and two children, teaching the youngsters how to skate.
“It’s a rite of passage for us as Canadians to be able to strap the blades on so we have to get them started early,” Burton said. “It’s convenient and beautiful down here. It’s a great place to spend time.”
As for Merlo, she’s starting to get the hang of skating.
“I’m getting better. I’m a little afraid of falling,” she said. “She’s good. In Brazil she used to be rollerblade and now she’s getting it pretty easily.”
The city will run their Winter Funday programming every Sunday at the waterfront for free until March 15.
