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he wait is almost over. You’re invited to the grand opening of The Bentway Skate Trail on Saturday, January 6, at T 11am. Located under the Gardiner Expressway in front of the Fort York Visitor Centre, the Trail is the first chance Torontonians will have to enjoy the bounty of events and programs You’re invited to the grand opening of The Bentway Skate Trail on Saturday, January 6, at 11am. to be offered by The Bentway Conservancy in this stunning new space that was previously near derelict. Special happenings throughout the weekend include performances from singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Charmie Deller and composer and performer Carmen Braden with her Black Ice Sound music project; demonstrations of Ice Breaking, a unique hybrid of break dancing and freestyle ice skating by the Toronto Ice Skate Group; art installations; food and drink; music throughout the day from the best of Toronto’s DJ scene; pop-up curling; and free admission to Fort York. Opening weekend will also include the Mayor’s Skate Party on
he wait is almost over. You’re invited to the grand opening of The Bentway Skate Trail on Saturday, January 6, at T 11am. Located under the Gardiner Expressway in front of the Fort York Visitor Centre, the Trail is the first chance Torontonians will have to enjoy the bounty of events and programs
Sunday, January 7, from 1 to 4 pm with Mayor Tory and members of Toronto City Council. Complimentary skate rentals and hot chocolate will be available during this family event. The Bentway’s inaugural winter skating season will run from January 6 to mid-March (weather permitting). Ongoing winter programming will include free Monday night skate rentals; Beats and Bents Friday night skate parties with a rotating cast of DJs, skate instruction, and DJ and Ice Breaking Workshops. A skating village, designed by + tongtong studio, will be installed at The Bentway to house the skate rental shop, warming stations, and a variety of seating options. A welcoming Warming Lounge will provide licensed offerings on weekend evenings and a curated food truck program will serve hot food, warm and cold drinks, and decadent desserts. Throughout Winter Season, The Bentway’s first public art exhibition, “Constructions of the Everyday,” will be on view. For more than fifty years the Gardiner Expressway has been a defining feature of Toronto’s urban landscape. In a radical act of renewal, The Bentway reimagines this static structure and imbues it with renewed relevance for a contemporary city. Embracing the spirit of transformation, the visual artists commissioned for “Constructions of the Everyday” ask visitors to find new value and beauty in the structures of everyday life.

Opening hours are Sunday to Thursday 11am to 9pm, Friday and Saturday 11am to 11pm. Skate rentals are available. Stayed tuned for additional seasonal programming. Find information at TheBentway.ca
Kasia Gladki is manager of communications, The Bentway Conservancy.
PARKING: 1. Limited parking at Fort York Visitor Centre, 250 Fort York Blvd 2. Paid parking at 100 Garrison Rd (near the corner of Strachan Ave and Fleet St) TTC 1. 511 Bathurst at Fort York Blvd 2. 509 Harbourfront at Fleet St 3. 121 Fort York-Esplanade at Gzowski Blvd (eastbound)

