Tobogganing
Tobogganing is a winter recreational activity that involves sliding down snow-covered slopes or ice chutes on a runner-less sled called a toboggan. This activity has its origins in the transportation methods used by Canada’s First Nations peoples, who crafted early toboggans from flexible wood boards. Over time, tobogganing evolved into a popular sport, particularly in Canada, where it became widely embraced by European settlers in the 19th century for both transportation and recreation. As the sport grew, it led to the development of related competitive activities such as bobsledding, luging, and skeleton racing, all of which are now Olympic sports.
Despite its popularity, tobogganing has raised safety concerns due to the high speeds involved and limited control over the sleds. Some cities, like Toronto, have enacted bans on tobogganing in public areas to mitigate risks. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, tobogganing was noted as a relatively safe outdoor activity that allowed people to stay active while minimizing the risk of virus transmission. Balancing the enjoyment of this traditional winter pastime with safety considerations continues to be a topic of discussion among communities.
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Tobogganing
Tobogganing is a form of sledding and a popular wintertime recreational activity with Canadian historic roots. Originally developed by Canada’s First Nations people for transportation, the toboggan eventually came to enjoy widespread use as a vehicle for recreational sledding. In the modern world, tobogganing is a fun activity enjoyed by people of all ages in countries around the world where snowy winter weather is a regular occurrence. Over time, the popularity of tobogganing also paved the way for the development of several similar Winter Olympic sports, including bobsledding, luging, and skeleton racing. Despite some safety concerns, tobogganing remains a favorite pastime among those who love spending time outdoors during the winter months.
Overview
Tobogganing is a recreational activity in which participants slide down snow-covered natural slopes or artificially constructed ice-covered chutes on a type of runner-less sled known as a toboggan. While the sled as a broader concept dates back to ancient times, the particular form of sled now recognized as a toboggan was first developed by Northern Canadian First Nations peoples such as the Innu and Cree. The early toboggans crafted by these peoples were made from two or more thin boards of birch or larch wood lashed together by a series of crossbars. When the wooden boards were still moist and flexible, the front end of the toboggan body was turned upwards and held in place until it dried and retained a curled shape on its own. Pulled by people or dogs, these toboggans served as an effective means of transportation when the ground was covered with light, powdery snow.
The use of toboggans became more widespread with the arrival of European settlers in Canada. Often faced with difficult winter conditions, early European settlers wasted little time in adopting the toboggans developed by local First Nations people for their own purposes. In addition to transportation, the settlers relied on toboggans to facilitate their hunting and fur trading activities. Importantly, Europeans also came to see that toboggans could be used for recreational purposes. By the late nineteenth century, tobogganing was one of Canada’s most popular sports. Before long, tobogganing runs were built in many of the country’s emerging cities. Many of these cities also established their own tobogganing clubs.
The quickly growing popularity of tobogganing eventually led to the development of three variants that soon became entrenched as widely enjoyed activities on their own. The three—bobsledding, luging, and skeleton racing—all ultimately became competitive Olympic sports.
While it remains a broadly popular winter activity, the risks associated with tobogganing have led some critics to question whether it is an adequately safe form of recreation. Even when safety precautions are taken, tobogganing can be a potentially dangerous activity thanks to the high speeds involved and riders’ limited ability to control their toboggans. Such safety concerns have actually led some Canadian cities to enact bans on tobogganing in public places. In January 2024, the Canadian city of Toronto enacted a ban on tobogganing on many popular hills throughout the city, causing anger among parents and frustration among youth who see the activity as the continuation of a generations-long beloved winter activity. Still, tobogganing does have some advantages when it comes to safety. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, experts pointed out that tobogganing was a relatively safe outdoor activity for people to enjoy since it presented little risk for the transmission of the coronavirus. Outdoor activities such as tobogganing are also an excellent way to get youth outside and active. In the future, local governments and families must continue to weigh the risks and rewards of tobogganing.
Bibliography
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Lachance, Nick. “Toronto's Toboggan Ban Hasn't Stopped Everyone from Sledding.” Toronto Star, 24 Jan. 2024, www.thestar.com/news/gta/toronto-prohibits-tobogganing-on-45-city-hills-heres-why-people-are-ignoring-the-ban/article‗c3e85cd6-baca-11ee-9b14-5f99196f9101.html. Accessed 15 May 2024.
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