'Our own Rideau Canal': North Grenville skateway brings life back to local creek

A skateway in North Grenville, Ont., has returned for its second season, with volunteers hoping to bring back the liveliness that flooded the frozen creek during their childhoods.

The Kemptville Creek was once a popular skating spot, but over the years, it fell out of use.

"As a lifetime resident of Kemptville, I've always wanted to come back and skate on the creek like I did when I was a kid playing shinny or boot hockey," volunteer Herb Cloutier told CBC Radio's In Town And Out this weekend.

"It was always a lot of fun to meet people and make friends. And last year, with the help of the council and the mayor and all of the staff at North Greenville, we were able to create a small patch to do some tests."

Only about 60 metres of the creek were cleared for skating last year, Cloutier said.

But it's been greatly expanded for 2022, with the Kemptville Creek Community Skateway now stretching more than 200 metres.

But those behind the revitalization efforts hope the skateway can grow in other ways, too.

"The trip to Ottawa, as you well know, is a little bit further so not everyone is going to make the Rideau Canal their destination," said North Grenville Mayor Nancy Peckford.

"So we have a dream and a desire to have our own Rideau Canal that truly is emblematic of what this community has to offer."

After moving to North Grenville about 10 years ago, Peckford said she struggled to find outdoor activities during the colder months of the year.

She'd often walk by the lonely creek and wonder if more could be done with it.

"So when Herb stepped up last year and said, 'I can rally volunteers, I can take responsibility for flooding the ice, I can bring this back to life,' really, I think council was so heartened," she said.

"He's been dogged," added Cloutier's wife, Debra. "He's been non-stop talking about it and wanting to do it."

Small skateway, big heart

Open since Friday, the ice is smooth and ready for skates, thanks to the community's homemade ice resurfacer — a utility vehicle outfitted with a Zamboni-like rig and a water supply.

Organizers are hoping the public will find a suitable name for the DIY vehicle, with "Floody Buddy," "Kempt-zoni" and "Herbie" all in the running.

"We are a small community, with a small skateway and a huge heart," said North Grenville Coun. Doreen O'Sullivan. "It really warms my heart to be here and to see this come along."

And while getting back out on the creek has long been Cloutier's dream, he didn't anticipate the support he's received.

"I never thought it would get to the level that it was so embraced by the community," he said.