SUSO Skate Co. at Bentway Skate Trail

Location: 250 Fort York Blvd

One of the best parts of this roller skating rink is that it’s available all year, but it makes for a serious throwback Thursday if you’re into retro-themed rinks. From mid-June to late summer, visit their pop-up rink at the Bentway and you’ll be able to skate right underneath the highway. You’ll be sure to get a healthy dose of nostalgic fun, rolling along with their themed nights and DJs. In the colder months, you can visit SUSO Skate at indoor pop-up rinks around the GTA.

Ward’s Island

Location: Accessible by ferry from downtown

While this isn’t an official roller skating rink, this island is a dream for any roller skater. Ward’s Island has everything you’re looking for, from long, winding paths to lakeside views of the city. What more could you need? Plus, there aren’t a ton of cars on the road, so you can skate in peace without having to worry about traffic. Just bring your skates and enjoy this low-key spot for roller skating.

Scooter’s Roller Palace

Location: 2105 Royal Windsor Dr, Mississauga

A very short drive from downtown, this roller skating rink is a nostalgic spot for anyone who grew up in and around Toronto. It’s a classic place that offers a roller skating paradise, plus so much more. Roll all over Scooter’s wood floors, and enjoy snacks at the bar later — or a fun time at the rink’s arcade. It’s great for families, or if you’re looking to enjoy an afternoon of skating with a group of friends.

Martin Goodman Trail

Location: Runs along the waterfront from Humber Bay to the Beaches

This trail is known as a favourite for roller skaters in Toronto. There are so many great things about rolling along this trail, from the smooth, flat pathways to the scenic views of the city. If you want a quiet place to skate by the water, this is the place to be.

Ashbridges Bay Skate Park & Boardwalk

Location: 1561 Lake Shore Blvd E

Many Torontonians are keen to visit this boardwalk for skateboarding and other activities. But did you know that some of its paths make for an ideal place to go roller skating? The special bonus is that the beach is nearby, so once you’re ready to cool down, it’s super convenient to stroll over and have some fun doing your second favourite summer activity.

Colonel Sam Smith Park

Location: 3145 Lake Shore Blvd W

Colonel Sam Smith Park is known for offering a winter ice trail. But in the warmer months, roller skaters can enjoy something here that no other outdoor space can offer: a figure-eight pathway. It’s nothing like you’ve seen before, and perfect for a day of gliding through the trail on the smooth concrete.

The post Best Places to Roller Skate in Toronto appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

What is your channel called and what is it about?

My blog is called HansOnTheBike.com. I focus on casual cycling and cycling infrastructure in Ottawa and Gatineau, or what is sometimes called the National Capital Region of Canada. Think of commuting, 20-50 km casual day rides, local neighbourhood riding, bike rides with the kids, trips to the grocery store and the dentist to name but a few destinations.

When did you start it? What motivated you at the beginning?

I started the blog in 2009 when I was the president of Bike Ottawa. I wanted to push out more information and more diverse content on what other countries do to encourage cycling so I started writing under my own name. The media covers only so much unfortunately and not always in an unbiased way. It is often a bit click baity based and that doesn’t help. A blog gave me a bit more freedom on the content obviously.

Who were you inspired by? Any influences?

Marie LeMay, a former CEO of the National Capital Commission approached the Netherlands Embassy where I worked, asking for speakers on cycling infrastructure from The Netherlands. Around the same time, Paul Dewar, a former MP in Ottawa, organised a meeting on safer cycling in the city. After I attended that meeting, I got involved in cycling advocacy: different leads were coming together. But I really had never been involved in cycling, other than just cycling around and complaining about how bad the infrastructure was. So I needed to expand my knowledge rapidly.

In 2009 I started reading blog posts by Eric Darwin and Charles Akben Marchand, who wrote a lot about cycling and walking infrastructure as well as city regulations, transit and developments. They showed how you can leverage existing conditions and work with other people to make the city become friendlier for residents who don’t necessarily travel by car.

How would you describe your audience?

From the people I know who read my blog I would say my audience tends to be highly educated. There are business owners, people from the media, politicians, professors, researchers, woodworkers, health care workers, people from the high-tech industry, bike mechanics, you name it. They are from all age categories and fairly evenly spread across genders. They definitely have an interest in well-designed cities for everyone, in a healthy lifestyle, in our environment, in traffic safety and are very passionate about Ottawa. From my LinkedIn account posts, I can see that engineers, planners and the civil service like to read what I have to say. I can see quite a bit of professional interest from Toronto and Vancouver too.

What is your creative process? Do you have people who work with you?

There is not much of a process, to be honest. I write when I feel like it, sometimes once a month, sometimes twice. Writing a proper blog takes time as you have to check all your resources and references: I don’t fill the pages with musings. English is not my mother tongue so I spend quite some time correcting and rewriting and shifting content around. I try to use as many of my own photos as I can, which means I sometimes bike to the other side of the city just for a photo of a pedestrian bridge. When I am on holiday I am always keeping an eye out for interesting cycling content that people in Canada and the US might like. Usually, I produce a few posts about my latest cycling and hiking adventures in Europe after a visit. I don’t have people working for me.

How do you monetize your content? Do you also have another job?

I have never considered monetizing my blog. I write mostly to share news about casual cycling in Ottawa as we hardly have any media in the nation’s capital left anymore. I am also showing examples of how certain infrastructure solutions from abroad could easily be implemented here. I would have to write a lot more to make a few dollars. I am semi-retired after working at the Netherlands Embassy and I am now a bicycle tour guide for a cycling rental company on Sparks Street now. This is a great job because I hear all the awesome feedback from our visitors. People really love the cycling network here.

What is your favourite piece of content you have created?

Some posts are obviously better than others, but as I mentioned, I write for the fun of it so I never have to write fluffy stuff just to keep the readers coming. Recently I started to create maps for my blog. I am receiving more requests from people outside Ottawa who come to a conference and want to do an extra day or two of cycling. If you search online, it is quite hard to find proper material. It is usually the GPS apps that show people’s rides but they don’t give much context, if any. So I am creating in Inkscape custom overview maps of our region which show you where to go, and what you will see and I include a GPX file (in ‘Komoot’, an awesome app that focuses on nature and the environment you bike in rather than on speed, sweat and stamina) that you can upload in your app of choice or your Garmin tools.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

Before I write something, I do some research. I really enjoy that. I learn a lot, be it a historic rail track in Ottawa turned into an active trail, European School Streets, a cycling network on the fringes or an 800 km route gravel bike around the capital region. It can become pretty nerdy: cyclist infrastructure buffs can get excited about a curb cut! Sometimes that research leads you into a rabbit hole and you end up reading up on only vaguely related information you were looking for, but still super interesting. The best part is the awesome feedback that I receive. It is a bit weird to be recognised on the bike paths sometimes. People greet me: “Hey, Hans on the Bike, keep up the good work”. When I sit in my little office researching and typing away, I don’t always realise that hundreds of people actually read what I produce.

I can’t really think of bad things. Cycling advocacy can be pretty depressing sometimes, with the unfiltered comments on social media, but when I take a step back and read my old blogs and see what we have accomplished in the Capital region, I realise there has been lots of progress. Ottawa and Gatineau score quite high in the People for Bikes rankings for cities. People enjoy reading my blog and they do notice and mention the tongue-in-cheek humour that I mix in. I rarely get negative feedback, not even on Twitter. I don’t take myself too seriously and I think that helps in this crazy anger-infused social media era. I have received several awards, from the Mayor’s Office, the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects (!) and even from the Governor General of Canada (the representative of the King of England), so really, nothing but good stuff to be honest. It has been an awarding and humbling journey.

What are your future plans for your channel?

I am hoping to increase my storytelling skills as I really have no professional experience in writing. I also want to expand my popular section with cycling maps. It is now by far the most popular part of my website. Eventually, I will have to upgrade to a better template for my website to highlight certain pages better. I am familiar with lots of software such as WordPress, Inkscape and Shotcut, but I can’t be bothered to go the video route. It just takes so much time.

Where can we follow you?

I keep my presence on social media limited, it takes too much of my time, but you can follow me here:

Twitter | Facebook | Mastodon

And of course, on the website (front page: sign up with your email account)

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another Canadian content creator that you love?

I am always astounded about how many high-quality blogs are being written with text that never makes it to the newspapers. James Powell for example, writes highly interesting stories about Ottawa’s history.

Matt Pinder is a very engaged Ottawa citizen and traffic engineer who produces great content about traffic solutions.

Brian Smith writes about short bike tours in Ottawa, be it a route along homes designed by a certain architect, about homes cladded with a material called Insulbrick (TM) (fake asphalt brick cladding), free little libraries or a safe ride to the airport. People can put in requests for a route to a destination.

A very comprehensive site is Urbsite, about buildings and architecture in Ottawa. Very informative for me for my guided bike tour guides.

Finally, I follow a travel site by a retired couple who moved to Portugal from our neighbourhood in Ottawa (a professional writer with great photos on their blog).

The post My Digital Life: Cycling Blogger Hans Moor appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

What is your channel called and what is it about?

Diary of a Toronto Girl is a blog all about life in Toronto and the GTA, including all the best things to do and best places to eat. I also like to write about other things I love, like movies and TV shows!

When did you start it? What motivated you at the beginning?

I started Diary of a Toronto Girl in 2015 as a creative outlet, and it was originally more like a diary, where I was sharing a lot about my own life. I was working as a freelance writer at the time and wanted a place where I could have my own creative freedom. Since I was already going to events and visiting restaurants for my freelance writing work, it gave me more content to write about on my own blog, but with my own personal spin.

Who were you inspired by? Any influences?

When I first started my blog, I was mainly writing about my adventures around Toronto with my friends, including any events I was going to or any restaurants I was eating at. As my platform grew, I became inspired by larger magazines and outlets, and my blog has since become more of a lifestyle website than a personal diary. I do include a lot of my own personal thoughts in my writing, but my posts are now less about me and more about helping my audience.

How would you describe your audience?

My audience is primarily millennial women living in Toronto and the GTA – just like myself! I share a lot of what I’m interested in and what I actually like to do, so I guess that resonates with people who are similar to me.

What is your creative process? Do you have people who work with you?

My partner helps me shoot photo and video content, but I do everything else myself. I divide my time between my blog and my social media platforms, which are all under the Diary of a Toronto Girl brand, but the content is all quite different. My blog features more general guides on things like restaurants and things to do while my social media highlights specific businesses or activities. I like to document things I’m already doing, so all of that content is saved for later for blog and social media posts. My days look different every day, and it really depends on what I’m most inspired to work on at the moment!

How do you monetize your content? Do you also have another job?

As a content creator, I monetize my content in a variety of ways, including display ads, affiliate marketing, and brand partnerships. I also occasionally do some freelance writing and other freelance work. Income is rarely consistent when running this sort of business, so it’s super important for me to diversify my income streams.

What is your favourite piece of content you have created? 

I’m obsessed with coffee, so I’d have to say my blog post on the best coffee shops in Toronto. I also had a lot of fun creating this Kensington Market vlog!

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

I already love going out and doing things around the city, so it’s really fun being able to create cool content around things I’m already doing. It also gives me the excuse to go out and try new things so I can create even more exciting content for my audience. Dealing with algorithms is probably one of the worst things as a creator, because it’s not always in your control how well your content does. I’ve learned to not let the numbers affect me too much, and I just focus on trying to create the best content I can.

What are your future plans for your blog?

Diary of a Toronto Girl will always be primarily focused on Toronto, but I plan on expanding it and writing more about travel around Canada and the world. I love travelling and seeing beautiful places, but nothing beats coming back home to Toronto!

Where can we follow you?

You can read my blog or follow me on Instagram and TikTok, where I post a lot more everyday content!

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another Canadian content creator that you love?

Joelle Anello is a fellow Toronto creator whose content I love. She posts a lot about her life as a mom in Toronto and fun things to do in Toronto!

The post My Digital Life: Toronto Blogger Jessica Lam appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Friday night’s festival opener Ice Cube has not performed in Toronto since 2009. He’ll be joined by Big Boi, formerly of Outkast fame, for what’s sure to be a spectacular launch to the festival down at Bandshell Park at Exhibition Place.

Saturday, 90s fiends will be queuing up for Third Eye Blind, featuring Ontario’s own Ruby Waters as their opening act.

At any rate, a plethora of ticket options will let you do the Fest however you want, whether it’s a single-day pass, the full weekend, or premium tickets, which grant access to a pool deck and/or front-of-stage priority seating for the concerts.

Food options include Oyster Boy, Poutine Supreme, the ubiquitous Craig’s Cookies, and more. Non-beer exhibitors include Nutrl, Bud Light, and the even more ubiquitous Aperol (shudder).

***
Tickets for Toronto Beer Fest are on sale here. On from July 28-30, 2023 at Exhibition Place.

The post Beer Fest Brings Fresh Brews From Beyond appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

At a recent event at Whispering Springs wilderness retreat and glamping getaway in Northumberland County, media were introduced to Mazda Canada’s new partnership with ParticipACTION through the Mazda CX-50 Minute Challenge (three 50-minute sessions in nature a week) for the month of August 2022. Those who wish to participate can sign up through the ParticpACTION app with chances to win over $30,000 in prizes.

The activation also showcased the new Mazda CX-50 (hence 50- minute challenge) which they promote as a way to get you to your nature destination.

According to a study by Mazda Canada, 62% of Millennials reported spending time in nature reduced their stress, but 51% reported spending fewer than 30 minutes in nature per day. The health benefits of spending time in nature include better sleep, improved moods, a decrease in resting heart rate and a more balanced feeling overall.

Other results from the study include:

• 56% of Millennials feel they do not have enough time in their day to recharge.

• 90% of Millennials want to spend more time in nature.

• 44% of Millennials report sleeping better after spending time in nature.

• 54% of Millennials were more positive throughout the day after spending time in nature.

If you are interested in getting involved, you can download the app today through Google Play or the App Store. On the ParticipACTION app home screen, look for the “join a challenge” button and tap on it, then navigate through the prompts to sign up! ParticipACTION will award challenge winners with gift cards to outdoor gear and outfitting brands, such as Sporting Life and Atmosphere, with a grand prize of two $5,000 gift cards from Mountain Equipment Co-op.

More information can also be found on the Mazda Canada website.

The post Shinrin-yoku or forest-bathing is good for your overall wellness appeared first on Toronto Guardian.