A tiny hamlet just north of Ottawa is gaining traction as a go-to place this winter for skaters and outdoor enthusiasts.
The Skateway through the Forest is a 3 kilometer outdoor skating trail on a 100 acre property owned by Dave Mayer and his family in Lac des Loup in the municipality of La Pêche. Mayer opened the skateway just over a week ago as a way to share his picturesque land with others.
"It was as if I have been dreaming this entire time," Mayer told CTV Ottawa. "And when I wake up man do I have a story to tell."
Mayer's story is of a dream to build an outdoor skating trail through the snow covered forest for people across Quebec, and Ontario to enjoy. So far, that dream is working wonders. Mayer estimates that about 5,000 people have already visited his skateway in its first eight days, up from his original prediction of 3,000 for the entire season.
"I just can't explain how we feel about the reception," Mayer said. "They are just so nice and they are coming from all over. We've had people from most of Canada, the United States, Russia, France and even Australia."
Mayer and his group of about a dozen employees, friends and family spend hours every day grooming, clearing and flooding the ice. He even purchased a zamboni and an old fire truck to help maintain the ice.
"It's not like you can buy a book saying how to build a skateway through the forest," Mayer said. "There is nobody there to help you. You just have to figure out what you are doing. There was a lot of trial and error."
If skating isn't your thing, there are also walking and snowshoe trails around the skateway. Tickets are free for children under 5 and cost anywhere from $8 to $12 for people older than that.
Mayer is hoping the skateway can stay open until about March.
