Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, gather ’round! We’ve got a tale from the Great White North that will make you both chuckle and shake your head in disbelief. Let’s take a gander at Martin Ross, a man who wanted to bring a good old-fashioned Canadian pastime to his backyard, only to find himself caught in an avalanche of bureaucracy and neighborly disdain.
Picture this: Martin builds a backyard rink for his kids, because what else would a loving father do? But alas, in the land where maple syrup runs thicker than the blood of hockey fans, the City of Markham swoops in like a Zamboni on a mission, demanding he dismantle his creation and racking up a $350,000 bill – because apparently, ice is a luxury item now!
I mean, come on! If Martin wanted to break the law, he could’ve opted for something a bit less public, like starting a “dangerous” underground shinny league. At least he would have had some black market street cred to go with his shiny ice. But no, he simply wanted his kids to glide over smooth ice while dreaming of Gordie Howe and the big leagues.
Instead, it’s turned into a certified catastrophe of epic proportions! Neighbors lurking around like it’s a true crime documentary, claiming they’ve been invaded by a new era of noise pollution. Apparently, the sweet sound of skates slicing through ice and laughter is just too much for their delicate eardrums. Who knew joy could be so offensive?
But let’s not forget that Martin’s rink, dubbed the “best ice in the GTA” – a claim I’m convinced he’s hoping will bring in more neighborhood endorsements than an Olympic athlete. Meanwhile, entire court systems are coming down like a ton of frozen pine – after all, nothing says “we value community” quite like litigation and threatening letters.
And this isn’t merely a misunderstanding; it’s a full-on ice war! The officials have shown up at his door more than 100 times. You know, that kind of harassment that even the worst door-to-door salesmen would envy. They must’ve mistaken “Welcome to the Neighborhood” for “Welcome to the Nightmare.”
Now, we might ask – where are the priorities here? In a time when cities do whatever they can to silence pesky issues like homelessness, they’re going after backyard rinks? Honestly, the world has gone mad! Shouldn’t we be rallying behind a dad giving kids the gift of skating and not demonizing him for it?
Perhaps it’s time for Mayor Frank Scarpitti and Premier Doug Ford to sharpen their skates, or at the very least, step into some ice skates and act as referees in this mad game of city politics versus suburban fun. Let’s make it clear – there’s got to be a way to keep the rink (and the kids) while satisfying the scales of city ordinances!
So let’s raise a metaphorical puck to Martin Ross, who dared to dream big with his backyard rink. And to the city? Well, maybe save the bulldozers for the next construction project and give this family’s ice castle a break! After all, it sounds like Martin just wanted to spread some happiness, and in Toronto, that’s as rare as a penalty shot being saved in a shootout.
So, folks, here’s the takeaway: we’re not just playing games here; we’re skating on thin ice, and sometimes, it’s time to thaw things out! Cheers to backyard rinks, joyful kids, and the resilient spirit of hockey in the face of adversity! Keep your sticks on the ice – unless, of course, you get a permit.
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If you build it, they will come.
In this case, with bulldozers and a bill for more than $350,000.
This is no Field of Dreams. More of a Not in My Back Yard horror show.
“I just wanted a great Canadian outdoor hockey rink for my kids and their friends to enjoy,” said the Unionville man, who should be nominated for dad of the year.
No trophies here, unfortunately. Instead, he got a misconduct penalty from the City of Markham over the heritage-designated property and was slapped with potential fines. The city insists such properties require strict oversight and approval for changes affecting the appearance, landscape or environmental footprint. Ross didn’t have a permit to either build a rink or remove trees in the process.
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At this time of year, people are starting to think about building their backyard rinks, not dismantling them. But it’s different in Markham, where the focus is on demolishing a rink instead of building one.
Ross said he’s been told if he doesn’t rip down his rink immediately, he will face the wrath of the No Happiness League. They say you can’t fight city hall but in Canadian terms, it seems common sense is skating on thin ice.
“The City of Markham and property owner of 233 Main Street, Unionville have reached an agreement to restore the property to pre-2021 conditions,” said a statement from City of Markham spokesperson Pody Lui. “The remediation work will be carried out by the homeowner and a set timetable has been established between the two parties.”
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Talk about pouring hot water all over the ice. But there are always two ends of the rink. Former neighbour Grant Aitken told the Toronto Sun that in one day his view from his window went from seeing green trees to suddenly overlooking a construction site that became a rink in winter and looked like a “parking lot” by spring. Aitken said Ross cut down trees without a permit and installed the large $200,000 rink with what he believes was the intention to run a hockey skills business — something Ross said he hasn’t done and has no plans to do.
Lui said “the property has been the subject of litigation between the City of Markham and the property owner and is the subject of a judgment of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice dated Dec. 6, 2022, an order of the Ontario Court of Appeal dated Feb. 29, 2024, and a judicial decision of the Superior Court of Justice dated Nov. 15, 2024.”
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While Aitken described neighbours raising concerns over tree removal, having loud “rap” music being played in a once quiet area or people huddled around a “burn barrel” keeping warm, it’s Ross’s perspective they have unfairly created a $70,000 removal cost for a family for three months of hockey in a country that is supposed to embrace the game.
A mediator is needed here. Things have sure changed in Canada, when a city is taking a man to court for an outdoor rink in his own backyard.
Sometimes people in power trip over the rules and use their authority to empty the bench and pile on a guy for being a Canuck. Lord knows this tough stance and threats to destroy a hockey rink probably wouldn’t happen if they were instead building one of those billion-dollar highways through there.
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Ross feels he’s being slashed. He said it’s not really an agreement but more a guy buckling to a metaphorical gun being held to his head — an offer he can’t refuse or could potentially lose his heritage-designated house.
“It’s like negotiating with a 500-pound monster,” said Ross. “As far as the agreement is concerned, the city has strong-armed me into this as they sent us a letter yesterday saying that if you don’t sign this agreement today, we are coming to commence the work and bill you $352,000 as we have our full crew on standby ready to go.”
All of this lawfare over a backyard hockey rink?
If only they could put those joy killers on the carjacking file. And governments wouldn’t dare take such rigid action if it was a so-called safe injection site, illegal casino or homeless encampment.
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It reminds me of the pandemic, where Canada saw hockey cancelled and a shinny player arrested on an outdoor rink by police with tasers ready.
Actually, this Markham rink was originally erected during the lockdowns in 2021 as a place for his kids to have something to do. It has since been upgraded to a more professional setup, with a hand-pushed ice-resurfacing machine hooked to a garden hose and professional chilling equipment over a concrete base to keep the 70-by-52-foot ice surface from melting even if temperatures don’t stay below zero.
“It’s the best ice in the GTA,” boasts Ross.
Not for long.
Ross describes constant harassment by public health officials ticketing him for alleged social distancing offences.
But they have decided to throw the book at this guy. City and bylaw officials have been to his house “more than 100 times” in what he sees as “an abuse of power and some sort of personal vendetta.”
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Seems some neighbours don’t like the sound of laughter and pucks hitting the arena-style boards.
Martin has offered the ice to underprivileged kids and had top hockey star Natalie Spooner, Team Canada’s double Olympic gold medallist and PWHL’s leading scorer in 2022-23, on the rink to shoot an Adidas feature for Sportsnet.
This should be a celebration story instead of a dark one. Think of the next Natalie Spooner!
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Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti and Premier Doug Ford, who have yet to comment, should play referee and break up this fight, draw a redline in the ice, end the high sticking and look for the neutral zone.
There are similar backyard rinks nearby with no threats to dismantle them so there must be a compromise here to keep the rink while honouring appropriate hours and numbers of players.
Save the bulldozers for housing digs instead of burying an outdoor rink for kids.
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Tsnet. Despite his efforts to promote the sport and provide a positive environment for local youth, he feels targeted by city officials who seem more concerned with enforcing regulations than fostering community activities.
The situation highlights a growing tension between individual property rights and municipal regulations meant to maintain community standards. While the city states that Ross’s rink and the activities surrounding it violate local bylaws, Ross argues that these regulations have been applied disproportionately, with overreaching consequences for his family.
In a country that prides itself on hockey as a national pastime, the clash represents a curious contradiction. Many Canadians see backyard rinks as a cherished aspect of their culture, yet the enforcement of regulations around property usage can sometimes seem stifling. Ross’s situation raises important questions about balancing individual freedoms with community interests and the role of local government in personal lives.
As the case continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the authorities will approach the matter, and whether a mediator will indeed step in to help resolve the differences without further legal entanglements. Advocates for recreational activities will be watching closely, as the outcome could set a precedent for similar cases across the country.
