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Sledding and skiing: How Metro Van is taking advantage of the snow

The snow may have created a mess of roads and shut most schools in Metro Vancouver, but that isn’t stopping some people from finding the silver lining.

On Wednesday, hills around the region were filled with eager children and adults who took advantage of the layer of white to get some tobogganing in.

Jan. 17 marked the first day of the season that many were able to get out and do some sledding.


People in Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Park toboggan down a hill during a snowstorm on Jan. 17, 2024
People in Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Park toboggan down a hill during a snowstorm on Jan. 17, 2024. (Cole Schisler, CityNews Image)

“I kind of planned it yesterday,” Ivy told CityNews from Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver.

“We did go on the jump and they landed it. And I was watching all the other people and they never landed it.”

She and others — unsurprisingly — say they’re happy school was called off Wednesday so they could spend the time outside.



“It barely snows here so I really like the snow when it comes,” another child, Sakura, added.

Many of the kids we caught up with echoed that sentiment, though drivers may not be too fond of the prospect of more snow.

Traffic was in chaos across the region due to the slippery conditions Wednesday, with officials repeatedly urging people to avoid driving, if possible.

Some heeded those warnings. Joel opted for a pair of skis over wheels to get around.

“I think I’ve done about eight kilometres, heading over to the Olympic Village area,” he told CityNews in Vancouver during the morning commute.

“I mean, skiing to work is an anomaly in Vancouver. Maybe in Squamish or Whistler. I bike to work fairly frequently, but it’s a treat to get on the skis today.”


A skier, Joel, takes advantage of Wednesday's snowstorm to get around in Metro Vancouver
A skier, Joel, takes advantage of Wednesday’s snowstorm to get around in Metro Vancouver. (Mike Lloyd, CityNews Image)

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