Lake Ontario, ON

Woodbine Beach and the adjacent Lake Ontario is a waterbody I've evolved with. I grew up (very privileged) to live near the Lake. The beach was a place I went to enjoy the outdoors with my family and our dog (especially in the off-leash zone). I never actually went "in" the water when I was younger. I was told it was too dirty, and have a distinct memory of thinking I would grow extra toes if I did. As much as I knew water made me happy, I overlooked the value of the Lake to my life and headed for the ocean as soon as I got the chance.

It wasn't until waaay later on that I realized the value of the Lake to me. Coming back to Toronto amidst the pandemic, the water became a place for me to get out of my head, use my body, and connect with the people and place around me. Through Swim Drink Fish, I was able to dismantle my stigma around Toronto's water quality, and started to dive head first (not actually- it's a shallow beach) into Woodbine Beach's friendly waters for post-run dips, *very* slow swims, and surfing. It's always interesting to think back on how this absolutely didn't used to be the case.

When I go to the water at Woodbine, I feel like I'm returning to myself (or perhaps a part of myself that is the water). I feel really lucky that I've had the opportunity to foster a connection to water at one place over time. To know a waterbody that feels like home.