Article content That frustrates the Brantford, Ont., resident. When the Ontario government ordered ski hills closed as part of a provincial lockdown in December, the father of three started an online petition demanding a decision reversal. His appeal at www.change.org has drawn more than 88,780 signatures as of Thursday afternoon. Searchmont Resort announced last fall that artificial snow would not be produced this season. The hill has yet to open for the winter. A Jan. 8 statement on the hill’s Facebook says no decision will be made until the provincial lockdown ends. Cardoso argues skiing and snowboarding are perfect sports to enjoy during the COVID-19. Participants wear helmets to cover their faces. There’s plenty of room on the hill. Traffic only goes one way – down – unlike grocery stores and large retailers, such as Walmart, where directional arrows are routinely ignored in shopping aisles. Snowboarding and skiing, Cardoso adds, also offer a welcome mental break
Author of the article: Bryan Passifiume
Publishing date: Jan 05, 2021 • January 5, 2021 • 1 minute read • The seven lifts and 17 slopes at Glen Eden in Milton, along with the surrounding Kelso Conservation Area, were shut down because of COVID restrictions on Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. Ski and snowboard resorts and tubing centres across Ontario were all shut down until further notice when the latest province-wide COVID-19 lockdown kicked in on Boxing Day. Photo by Jack Boland /Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
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One man’s mission to convince Queen’s Park to re-open Ontario’s ski and snowboarding runs is catching some air.
And just two weeks after Brantford’s Dwayne Cardoso started the change.org petition, it’s already garnered nearly 85,000 signatures.
Over 70,000 Sign Petition Urging Ford to Open Ontario Ski Hills
A petition signed by over 70,000 people is urging the Ontario government to allow skiing this winter.
Launched by Bradford resident Dwayne Cardoso, the petition, which has garnered more than 70,000 supporters since Dec. 21, wants Premier Doug Ford to allow ski hills to operate during the province-wide lockdown that went into effect Saturday.
“Skiing should be the safest sport to participate in with face coverings, mandatory space between patrons (skis and snowboards easily facilitate social distancing),” Cardoso said. “Riding chair lifts with only family, in a time of immense negativity, this can also help our mental health, not to mention the exercise that we all desperately want.”