Enjoying Family Day in Waterloo Region

From high-energy sports to classic winter fun, families are gathering to spend time together. CTV’s Hannah Schmidt has more.

Families around Waterloo Region are turning a frosty day into a collection of memories with loved ones to commemorate the Family Day long weekend.

An eruption of cheers filled The Aud Monday afternoon as families packed onto the court, creating a sea of support for local basketball stars.

The K-W Titans took on the Jamestown Jackals. It was a game that local fan Justin Heimple circled on his calendar months in advance.

“This is the biggest turnout we’ve ever seen, and we’ve been coming for three years now,” he told CTV News.

At the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory, families swapped snow for beautiful bugs.

“It is our very first time at the butterfly conservatory, so very exciting,” said first-time visitor, Chantelle Fortuna. “A great place to get out of the cold right now, for sure. It’s nice and warm in here.”

Family Day weekend is the conservatory’s busiest time of the year as they play host to people from Waterloo Region and beyond, who are looking for a tropical escape.

“We get families coming, we get adults who want to indulge their inner kid and learn some really cool things about animals that you don’t get to see every day,” explained Haley Yorke, an invertebrate keeper at the conservatory.

“The conservatory, especially on a day like today when there’s like snow blowing or anything, it’s like a little tropical vacation,” said visitor, Jull Walker. “And then it’s like all the butterflies are just a bonus.”

Those opting to stay indoors also got to experience a Family Day fair at Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum. The day included magic shows, face painting, games and art.

“I watched the magic show, and I got my feet painted. It has been really fun,” said an excited young participant.

And for those who believe nothing beats a classic winter tradition, local outdoor skating rinks were the place to be.

“[I’m] really appreciating that we have lots of things happening, like the Uptown Public Square events and also the rink is open today,” said student, Erica Liu.

From first-time skaters finding their balance to seasoned pros spinning on the ice, the winter tradition saw groups of skaters gracefully gliding at the Uptown Waterloo rink.

“It’s a lot of snow here,” said out-of-town visitor, Daniel Alvarez. “But it’s nice because I live in Victoria. When it snows, the city closes. But here it doesn’t; people come out, skate. So that’s nice.”

While the weather may not have been cold, families are taking advantage of the extra long weekend to spend time with each other and start the week off on a high note.