Home News Reflections Of Ice Floe Racing In The Fenelon Falls Gorge

Reflections Of Ice Floe Racing In The Fenelon Falls Gorge

By
Pamela Vanmeer
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KAWARTHA LAKES-In the 1970s, several communities in the Kawartha Lakes region hosted a winter carnival that provided local residents the opportunity to get out, spend time with friends and neighbours, and enjoy something new. Fenelon Falls’ Chamber of Commerce organized that village’s winter carnival, which included: An ice sculpting contest, “you don’t have to go to Quebec to see Ice Sculpturing at its best;” a carnival Queen; Bingo; Parade; Ice Skiing (trying to move across the arena ice with boards attached to your feet); Hockey; Broomball; Snowmobiling; Bowling; Sleigh Rides; Figure Skating; Log Sawing; and the spectacle of the Rotary Club’s Christmas Tree burning event. Village residents would long remember Lloyd Kelly running around town (he had an amazing ability to run on his tip toes) collecting all the Christmas trees so they could be thrown into the inferno. Can you imagine how local residents and the municipality would react to that event today?!

The annual Christmas tree burning event was not the only public spectacle. The Chamber of Commerce organized a unique event, the ice floe race on the Fenelon River just below the falls on January 30, 1972. The Trident Underwater Club of Peterborough demonstrated the sport, while also diving under the ice, despite the frigid temperatures. A race followed, featuring familiar faces from the region. Freda Kelly shot a video of the event, preserving the memory for posterity.
Fenelon Falls’ winter carnival continued for several years, with Lloyd Kelly continuing to be one of the most memorable participants. “Cannonball Kelly” had a giant cardboard stick made from an appliance box, that he used as a broomball goalie—“there was no way they could ever score on him.” Lloyd would have a village park named his memory. The event died out, but was revived as the Fenelon Falls Old Fashioned Winter Games (1995-2004), which created many happy memories for local residents.

This story is part of our partnership with Maryboro Lodge, The Fenelon Falls Museum and was written by Glenn Walker.

If you want to make a donation to the museum, you can e-transfer to: curator@maryboro.ca or mail a cheque to :

Maryboro Lodge Museum

Box 179

50 Oak Street

Fenelon Falls, ON

K0M 1N0

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