Parker Blake spends a lot of time on his skates.
Between frequenting the outdoor ice at the North End Rec Centre and commitments to his hockey team, the six-year-old is playing at least five or six days a week.
His father David Blake encourages the future sniper, who plays centre and enjoys scoring goals, to play the game as often as possible.
“Playing hockey is pretty much what we do all winter,” Blake said.
“I like being involved and chasing him on his path.”
That’s part of the reason why Blake facilitated the hockey portion of the fifth annual February Freeze at the North End Rec Centre.
While frigid temperatures may have kept some kids at home, the ones that came out had fun playing hockey, digging for loonies and grabbing a much-appreciated cup of hot chocolate indoors.
“They’re toughing it out and it’s great to see the kids get away from video games for an afternoon,” he said.
Barb Kukko, president of the North End Rec Centre, said the goal is to provide kids with a fun, low-cost afternoon of fun winter activities.
“We try to keep it low-cost so parents are constantly digging in their pockets,” she said.
Kukko added this would likely be the final February Freeze due to competition amidst dwindling numbers with other events across the city.
