Alongside partners Parkbus and Parks Canada, Mountain Equipment Co-Op (MEC) is on a mission to connect Torontonians with the great outdoors. The TD Rouge Park Express route launches this summer. The FREE shuttle service between downtown Toronto and Rouge National Urban Park runs every Saturday, Sunday and Holiday this summer right up until September 30. With several pick up /drop of locations including MEC North York location. Tickets must be booked in advance at parkbus.ca . By the way, Parkbus offers other affordable rides and excursions worth putting on your summer bucket list. If you’ve thought about camping but haven’t invested in all the gear, you’ll want to take advantage of MEC’s rental program too.

For dog owners you’ll be happy to know that you can bring your furry friend along for the ride but your Rover must be crated or muzzled on the bus ride. Also note, dogs must be leashed at Rouge National Urban Park.

Be Prepared

Before you go! Be prepared for the great outdoors. Here are some handy tips on being a courteous visitor to parkland. You don’t want to be labelled as “that” city slicker, now do you?

Plan Ahead: understand the terrain and dress accordingly. Hiking in nature is a beautiful experience as long as you’ve got the proper clothing and footwear. Keeping on hiking trails for a reason. You don’t want a brush with poison ivy do you?

Leave What You Find: it may be tempting to bring back the Trilliums but best to admire, take your photos and leave them be so everyone else can also enjoy. Besides, it’s illegal to pick this particular flower.

Respect Wildlife: It also maybe tempting to pick up that sweet little turtle but don’t! The critter is on a mission and you could steer it off course! If you encounter other creatures and animals it’s best to watch from a distance for your safety and theirs.

Dispose of Waste Properly: Whatever you bring in must go back with you even if it’s  compostable. Pack all garbage and leave nothing behind.

Be Considerate of Others: We’re all there for the same reason, to enjoy the outdoors so make sure everyone goes home with great memories.

Safe at Home: check your body and clothing thoroughly to ensure no little critters came home with you. If you’re bringing your pup, make sure you give a thorough brush through and be on the look out for ticks.

Daypack list

When we searched online, we had a few ideas in mind for a hands-free daypack. It needed to be lightweight and could carry the essentials with easy access. This MEC Ultra Lightweight Daypack met all needs for a day out with the puppy.

• sunscreen
• bug repellent
• snacks/light lunch and liquids
• handy wipes
• fully charged phone

What I’m Wearing

• MEC Ultra Lightweight Daypack – ideal for day tripping and doesn’t weigh you down. Optional removal front security clasp helps to keep the pack from sliding around.
• MEC Ultra Run Cap
• MEC T1 Short-sleeve crew tee shirt
• LOLE Women capri black pants
• Merrell MQM Flex Waterproof Trail Shoes– inspired by athletes this hybrid shoe has all the technology you need for trekking in all different terrains giving your great stability. The breathable mesh lining keeps you cool. The TrailProtect technology also adds additional support off road.

The post Urbanites can get a free ride with MEC and Parkbus to explore the great outdoors appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

The site is very easy to use. You can search by workout category, through a calendar on the home page, or browse by location through the map. Registration details can be found on Host pages or you can just show up if you don’t have to pre-register in advance.

Svveat has been rapidly expanding since their launch in January. “Tens of thousands of users have visited our website,” says Johanna Robles Tam, Founder of Svveat. The user base is extremely engaged as more than half of them are returning. In addition, Svveat has over 3500 followers across their social media channels and subscribers to their weekly newsletter.

The idea started in 2015 when Tam was sharing her fitness journey on her own personal blog (now offline). She and co-founder, Darren Tam (her husband), discovered an abundance of free workouts led by knowledgeable community leaders. They knew they had to share these experiences more broadly so Svveat was born.

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“The best part about Svveat is our unique ability to work with Hosts, promote them across social channels and fill up these amazing workouts across the city,” Tam says. Hosts have been reaching out to Svveat since the site started and the events have grown from 60 to over 300 per week!

One such Host is Lolë Atelier Yorkville. I had been meaning to learn more about this Canadian company so joining their yoga class was the perfect chance to experience them firsthand.

Lolë was born in Montreal and stands for “Live Out Loud Everyday.” Cherry Johnston, GTA Community Manager and Yorkville Store Manager says their apparel is built on three pillars: feminine, versatile and comfortable. “We encourage women to move everyday so we created Athleisure wear that can go from work to yoga to lunch and back.”

BICOM PR Account Manager, Kirsten McNeill, adds that each garment is high performance since the company first started out as a technical brand. Lolë is designed with a genuine concern for people, products and positive impact. Quality is key and every product comes with a one year warranty.

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Lolë is dedicated to their community. They offer free meet-ups in every store so that wellness classes are available for everyone. Lolë partners with local ambassadors and instructors to create these classes and they offer a Wellness Professional Program which gives professionals 30% off their products!

It’s no surprise that Lolë and Svveat teamed up for the yoga class. Both brands are what makes Toronto’s fitness community thrive. Check out Svveat here for free events near you and do it in style with Lolë.

Get this look:

FANCY tank ($45) is the perfect fitness tank. It’s ultra-quick drying and comes in many fun colours.

LUMA bra ($60) is high support and super comfortable. A great way to add a pop of colour under your FANCY tank.

CAYO leggings ($100) is an Italian fabric made from recycled fish nets. Great for everything from yoga to running to swimming.

The post Svveat x Lolë: Supporting Toronto’s Fitness Community appeared first on Toronto Guardian.