Winter Places & Spaces

City Parks

Things to do in a community open park space with your family!

• Play snow frisbee, football
• Have a winter picnic
• Build a snow angel, snowperson, snow sculpture or snow maze
• Measure a fresh snowfall
• Take up bird watching and learn of the different species that live in your community
• Have a sled pulling, snowball throwing or largest snowball contest
• Visit a playground
• Go star gazing after dinner. Winter skies are clearer for this!
• Take a healthy long walk. Sunny winter days can be amazingly warm.
• Go snow shoeing and cross-country skiing in open areas of parks- Linear, Riverside and Churchill Parks are especially good for these activities

Search parks the City of Cambridge has to offer. 

Try a game of disk golf at Soper Park, 120 Shade St. 

Soper Park offers a nine hole, free-to-play course.  Two tees for all holes. Beginner friendly with some challenging wooded shots. Please be aware of other park users.  Visit Ontario Disk Golf Association for game rules.

Parks are open with reduced parking available in certain areas. Natural trails are not groomed or cleared. Washrooms unfortunately are not open as they are winterized so the water pipes won’t freeze. Most paved pathways through our parks are cleared of snow and ice.

Outdoor Ice Rinks

Visit an outdoor community rink. Please check the status of outdoor and indoor rinks prior to visiting.

Remember to keep off frozen ponds, creeks, rivers or storm water areas, as conditions can be unsafe and very dangerous! A reminder no motorized vehicles, ATV’s, or snowmobiles are permitted in parks.

Preston Towne Centre Synthetic Ice Pad

Central Park at 615 King Street East has a synthetic ice pad that is operated and maintained by the Preston Towne Centre.

City Trails

62.7 km of trails/walkways will be maintained by the City of Cambridge during the winter months.  Resource the City of Cambridge trails/walkways map for a full list of trails/walkways that are maintained during the winter months.  Hard surface trails that are maintained in the winter months will be identified by a bold red line.  Natural trails which are not maintained in the winter months will be identified by a thin red line.  

Our trails have several points of interest to be visited and explored.

If you are planning to do some winter cycling visit, Cycle Waterloo Region, for some valuable information. 

If you are planning to do some bird watching the, Birds about the Confluence of Grand and Speed Rivers, is a wonderful document to guide your experience.   

• Take a hike in the bush and try to identify the trees. A great learning opportunity for families.
• Try this family fun scavenger hunt 
• Another great tool to be used is the iNaturalist App.  It is a free app that you can use to identify and map living things that you find: birds, animals, plants, etc.

RARE

RARE also has open trails to be explored this winter.  These trails are open for walking.  Please visit the trail map.  RARE has also created children’s resources/activities.  To learn more about RARE please watch the Turtle Rescue Program video.

Shade’s Mills Conservation Area

Take some time to explore Shade’s Mill Conservation Area, located at 450 Avenue Rd. in Cambridge.

Shade’s Mill will be open daily during the winter months from 8 am until 6 pm. 

Available activities will be dependent on weather conditions. Information can be obtained from Winter programs - Grand River Conservation Authority. Standard admission fees apply.

Activities to be explore include:

• Groomed and Track set cross-country ski trails
• Snowshoeing and hiking/walking on trails
• Ice fishing

There will be no snowshoe or ski rentals in 2021. 

Taking a walk around your block with members of your household is a great way to stay active this winter! Block walking provides opportunity to say hi to your neighbours, get some fresh air and exercise as well following COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.

Activities to embrace creative child play while walking:

• Have others follow your lead as you move like different animals - waddle like a penguin, stomp like a bear, and wiggle like a fish.
• Incorporate skipping, jumping, and running activities into your walk
• Read signs together
• Stop and listen – what sounds do you hear?
• Visit your neighbourhood park
• Name all the types of animals you see
• List all the colours and textures that are around you
• Take photos of interesting items
• Imagine who might be living in the homes you pass
• If you see a neighbour come prepared to ask a question

Be creative and best of all have FUN!