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Toboggan Guide

Tobogganing at the Experimental Farm. Photo by Juliette Bossard-Giannesini.

It's one of winter's cheapest sports. All you need is some warm clothes, and something to slide on — even a cardboard box will do. Tobogganning has been a favourite sport in Ottawa for over a century. Happy sliding!

Help!
We need your help to tell us about your favourite toboggan hills in Ottawa -- big ones, little ones, hidden ones, etc. Click here to send us your suggestions.

Big Hills

Arboretum (Next to Dow's Lake on the Rideau Canal, access from Queen Elizabeth Drive.)
Bruce Pit (Cedarview across from Bell High School in Bell's Corners)
Carlington Park Ski Hill (probably the steepest toboggan hill in Ottawa)
Conroy Pit (Conroy Road south of Hunt Club)
Edelweiss (tubing in Wakefield)
Glen Cairn (near Castlefrank & Winchester, behind the library)
Green's Creek (Green's Creek Conservation Area, off Bearbrook Road, betwen St Joseph Blvd and Innes Road)
Judge Park (Turn on Moore Ave., off Carling Ave. Close to Richmond/Pinecrest intersection). Robert writes: "Hidden Gem for children and pre-teens."
Lac Des Fees (Gatineau - near St. Raymond and the parkway)
Le Domaine de L'Ange-Gardien (near Buckingham)
Sylvain writes: "There is a great snow tubing hill 10 minutes east of Gatineau and 5 minutes west of Buckingham called Le Domaine de L'Ange-Gardien. It has 8 different runs and a lift to bring you back up the hill. There is a large cafeteria and you can bring your own lunch. They also offers horse-drawn sleigh rides on the wekends. Just follow the blue tourist signs on HWY. 50."
Mooney's Bay (Riverside Drive, south of Heron)
Mount Pakenham Great for tubing.
Parc Rest-o-Soleil (Corner of Naskapi and Ogilvie, near Montreal Road)
Ski Hill Park
Vincent Massey Park
Walter Baker Park (In Kanata near Hazeldean & Terry Fox -- a big man-made hill.)
Read Best Toboggan Hills In Ottawa? from a peek inside the fishbowl
You should also check out the The City of Ottawa's big list of "approved sledding hills" in Ottawa.

Hidden Hills

Jeanne D'arc Blvd. There is a small hidden hill on Jeanne D'arc Blvd. at the very end before Tenth Line, on the left-hand side. A good hill for small kids.
Upper Aylmer Road. (Behind the Chateau Cartier hotel, south of the parking lot for Sam Snead's.)

Baby Hills

Benlea Drive (Tanglewood): A small hill in this Nepean neighbourhood, on the corner beside Hunt Club Road. Great for small kids.
Clyde @ 417 (Ottawa West): A small hill where some kids & youth ski at winter. The top of the hill overlooks the Queensway.
Diefenbunker (Carp): Take Carp Rd. north from Highway 417.
Lincoln Fields: On the West side of the pedestrian bridge heading to Woodroffe High School, spanning over the OC Transpo Parkway. It's off of the Elmhurst Street opening to the bike path.
Loyola Park: Eastvale, across the street from Lamira Dow Billings School
(Relatively close to Green's Creek.)
Rochester St.: There's a kid-sized hill at the park on the corner of Rochester and Primrose.

Toboggan safety tips

Choose a hill with a gentle slope, free of protruding objects such as ice, rocks, and tree stumps. Also, be sure that the hill is not too icy - you want to be able to stop if you need to.
Sled in daylight so that you can see any potential dangers. If you choose to sled at night, make sure that the hill is very well lit.
Children should wear a helmet at all times while sledding to help protect their heads and to decrease their risks of head injuries.
Tuck in any scarves, strings, or long hats that could potentially catch on a rock or tree and cause strangulation or other serious injuries. Use a neckwarmer instead of a scarf
Wait until the path is clear before starting down the hill. This could help prevent you from running into another person on your way down.
Always position yourself on your sled or toboggan so that you are kneeling or facing forward. Never lie down on a sled or toboggan while going down a hill.
Children who are five years old or younger should have an adult accompany them on a sled or toboggan.
Climb back up the hill on the side to keep out of the way of others who are sledding down.
Wear bright coloured clothing so that you will be easy to spot from far away on the hill. This will give others time to turn or stop before they get close enough to hit you.
Choose a sled that is sturdy and easy to control. Magic carpets, flying saucers, garbage bags, and cardboard boxes are not good options, as they are light and flimsy and can easily fly out of control.
Have only the recommended number of passengers on a sled or toboggan at one time.
Racing down the hill might seem fun, but sleds can often be more difficult to control at higher speeds. Try to maintain safe speeds that will allow you to have the control to stop if you need to.
Keep children warm. Dress your children in layers. Make sure their heads and necks are covered by a hat and a neck warmer. Watch for frostbite! On sunny days, put sunscreen on their skin.
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Sources:
Health Canada
http://www.healthunit.org/

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