Toronto shuts out shinny from its outdoor rinks

Torontosun.com
Dec. 7, 2020
Jenny Yuen

He shoots, he -- isn’t allowed to score.

The City of Toronto has drawn some ire from the public, who seem confused as to why skating at public rinks is allowed, but shinny is not.

One person tweeted a photo of a City of Toronto sign that stated, “No shinny. Suspended until further notice.”

“This is the saddest sign ever placed in Toronto,” they captioned the pic.

The city has encouraged residents to use the 54 artificial ice rinks that opened Nov. 28 for skating only. Leisure skate is offered daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., weather permitting, and rinks have a limit of 25 people at a time. Spots have to be reserved online at toronto.ca/skate.

“Under current provincial lockdown measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19, indoor recreation facilities and arenas are closed. Hockey, shinny and curling are currently suspended until further notice,” the city’s website states.

Lawvin Hadisi, a spokesperson for Mayor John Tory, said the decision was made “based on the provincial orders.”

City spokesperson Brad Ross said shinny is a contact sport.

“Heavy breathing and close contact all provide heightened risk of transmission, whereas a leisure skate does not,” he said.

A petition urging Tory to reconsider the rule had garnered more than 1,150 signatures as of the noon-hour Friday.

“Hockey is a part of the Canadian lifestyle and gives us a great way to exercise in the winter, the shinny rinks can provide us with this opportunity, especially when all other leagues and events are cancelled,” the petition’s description states.

“Furthermore, why can kids gather in schools but not be allowed to play outside on the rinks where science shows COVID-19 is less likely to spread?” it adds. “Shinny does not involve physical contact and if numbers are limited and masks are mandatory, things can be kept safe.”