Simcoe County residents take in the outdoors over Family Day Weekend
Hundreds of families took in the outdoors across Simcoe County for the first real long weekend of the year.
For many, there was no better way to celebrate the family day long weekend than with family on the slopes. Snow Valley was busy with families hanging out on Sunday.
"Family all together and we can play we can sport we can have some time together to have you know a meal together as well. It's great," said Vishal Chitkara, who brought his family to Barrie from Aurora for the day.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email
Others said they spent the weekend with loved ones at local ice rinks.
"We are going to play a little bit of hockey. Fresh air good, absolutely good," said Trevor Hincks, who was getting ready to play with his grandson.
For those wishing to ice fish, it's a free weekend.
Joy Canning has been in Barrie's ice hut and bait business for 54 years. "It is a bonus, and it's nice because everybody can go out there and fish," said Canning.
A large group of family and friends were seen on the ice getting ready to go scuba diving in Kempenfelt Bay today.
Brett Snyder of Hamilton was one of them.
"It's exhilarating you get under the ice and look up, and you can see the bubbles floating around like liquid mercury on the ceiling there and see all sorts of patterns in the ice; it's fantastic," said Snyder.
One popular family day weekend tradition is to visit one of the many maple syrup producers in the area. Shaw's Maple Syrup Bush in Oro-Medonte said it was packed all weekend.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air Canada rejects passenger compensation claims for delays caused by tech issue
Air Canada has rejected compensation claims from some travellers who were among the thousands affected by flight delays caused by computer problems in recent weeks -- a response it now calls 'erroneous,' with cash offers en route.

BREAKING | Sask. RCMP issue Amber Alert for 2 missing children
Saskatchewan RCMP have issued an Amber Alert in the hopes of locating two missing children who are believed to have been taken by their mother.
Here's what you should know about wildfire home insurance policies
Amid raging wildfires in western and eastern provinces, vice-president of the Insurance Bureau of Canada, Craig Stewart, shares what residents need to know about wildfire policy coverage.
2-year-old girl dead after going missing near Canmore, Alta., campground
A two-year-old girl who went missing from Canmore's Bow River Campground on Thursday afternoon has died.
How to interpret Environment Canada's Air Quality Health Index ratings
Environment Canada has been advising people to check the Air Quality Health Index as wildfire smoke blanketed large swaths of Canada in recent days, but even without wildfires, the index can be a useful tool to monitor air pollution.
Ottawa girl set to become the youngest university graduate in Canadian history
Anthaea-Grace Patricia Dennis is not your typical 12-year-old. She is a child prodigy who's about to become the youngest Canadian to ever graduate from university.
Bernardo's prison transfer 'slap in the face' for victims' families, Tori Stafford's father says
The father of Tori Stafford, an Ontario girl who was murdered in 2009, says the latest decision to transfer convicted killer Paul Bernardo to a medium-security prison is a 'slap in the face' to all murder victims' families.
'That hurt has been extended': Indigenous leaders in Manitoba share displeasure of Queen Elizabeth II statue being back up
Two years after two statues were knocked down and damaged at the Manitoba Legislature, one is now back up and Indigenous leaders are upset by the decision.
One-on-one with Niall Horan: New album, possible 1D reunion
Niall Horan speaks about the release of his third studio album, 'The Show,' and reflects on a possible One Direction reunion.