Ice Free is the Way to Be

Early last month I put a fork in Old Man Winter, proclaiming the imminent arrival of Spring: newborn woodland critters, and massive amounts of pollen. Four weeks and half a dozen snow storms later, my prediction is finally coming true. Sand covered sidewalks, and soggy patches of grass have been spotted all over the city, however one recent event officially put the final nail in Winter’s coffin. Up until April 1st, the Wolfe Island Ferry had to navigate its way through the maze of ice that covered Kingston’s inner harbour. Yesterday it was as though someone turned up the thermostat, as there was a significant reduction in ice coverage, which extended out into Lake Ontario.

A vast amount of the waterfront is now completely ice free, and Kingston is starting to feel like the one I know and love the other 3 months of the year. Ducks have returned, along with homeless fishermen, and soon that mysterious white sea foam will be washing up on shore. On land, snow has followed the lead of its lake-top cousin, as it cowers in the shadows next to Kingston’s tallest buildings. From overworked plow operators to overexercised joggers, everyone seems to be in a better mood around the city. Don’t believe me, just walk around downtown and notice all the friendly faces.

I for one am anxious to dust off the rollerblades and tune up the bike, although both will have to wait for the street sweepers to remove the mountains of sand deposited all over the city streets. In the meantime, I’ve taken the liberty of packing away my winter jacket, boots, gloves and toques. While it continues to get warmer in the coming weeks, I think I’ll celebrate Spring’s arrival the same, contradictory way as all the other Winter haters. White Mountain, here I come! For more proof of Old Man Winter’s death, be sure to check out our newest Flickr set.