Kilt Skate Coast to Coast -- Part 2 Ontario

Ottawa, Ontario

It’s less than 200 km from ‘Montreal to Ottawa  where the Scottish Society of Ottawa conducted our 9th Annual Great Canadian Kilt Skate at Lansdowne Park outdoor skate rink. It was a Balmy +3 which partly explains why the Rideau Canal Skateway remained closed and the rink was packed with over 20 kilted skaters and many sporting tartan.

Several VIPs kicked off  the fun including: Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, Councillor Laura Dudas, John Devine, Head of Scottish Affairs Canada, and Lieutenant Colonel Gord Scharf Commanding Officer of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa.

Free hot chocolate, courtesy of Boccato’s Gelato and Crepes, Nairns Fruit and Seed biscuits, sponsored by Nairn’s Canada, sponsored IrnBru, greeted skaters off the ice.

And of course there were pipers!

North Glengarry, Ontario

Driving up the Ottawa Valley from Montreal it’s easy to take a detour to Maxville where North Glengarry Township hosted its kilt skate.  Like Antigonish Maxville hosts a Highland Games making it a hotbed of Scottish culture. Glengarry is only about 75 kms from Ottawa. Like other cities Glengarry decided to hold the skate indoor at the Maxville Arena. This can have the additional benefit of allowing people to stay warm and go to a Ceilidh afterwards. So after a few turns around the rink skaters could go and watch great dancing and piping, and so they did. And the kids had fun with T-Rex and Pikachu.

Brampton Ontario

Its 490 km to Brampton home of another new Kilt Skate Community. Bill Petrie President of CASSOC brought the first ever kilt skate to Gage Park in Brampton. It was a beautiful spring like February day. Clan Gregor was very much in evidence but so were other kilt skaters and of course a piper. It was also great to see multi-cultural participation.

Fergus, Ontario

Just 75km down the 401 is Fergus another highland games community with deep Scottish roots and home of the Fergus Scottish Festival. . Great participation and smiles all around in the kilt skate held at the local rink. There were many people in kilts and other innovative look alike kilts. Before they took the ice the were entertained by the Blue Bonnet Lassies Highland dancers and the Fergus Pipe Band provided musical support. There was hot chocolate and cookies to greet tired skaters.