A Cool Option for Winter Sports

A Cool Option for Winter Sports

When we think of winter sports, we often think of expense, particularly parents who have children who sometimes grow out of their skates and skis before the end of the season. Even if you buy second-hand equipment, you still have a pair to get rid of every year.

Today we went to La Poubelle du Ski (Ski Garbage) to find skates for my three- and eight-year-old. I've heard that La Poubelle is a Montreal institution, but I'd never been inside until this afternoon.

It wasn't exactly luxurious. Makeshift signs from quickly cut cardboard boxes were plastered everywhere announcing liquidation prices. Stock was piled to the ceiling, and there were large dusty stuffed animals suspended from the ceiling to entertain the kids. I saw everything from winter socks, hats, gloves, snowsuits for the entire family, snowboards, skis, snowshoes and boots on our way to the skates. In addition, the crowd was decidedly more dangerous armed with skis walking down relatively narrow aisles and coming around blind corners.

There was at least 10 people in front of us in line, but service was fast. My kids sat on sinking cardboard boxes to try on their skates. Their grins bore testimony to the excitement of this event. The skates were in good condition, and I was surprised when the clerk told me that they cost $20.00. For the season, that is. They were rentals, and we had to return them only in September of 2011. What a great cheap solution instead of buying used ones and having to get rid of them the next year.

Founded in 1964, the Poubelle du Ski sells the previous years equipment at liquidation prices in addition to used equipment, and as we discovered today, they also rent for the entire season.

Poubelle du Ski, 8278 St-Laurent, Metro Jarry

Related posts

Franco Gattuso's Drogheria Fine
St-Viateur: the Polish Bazaar
The Mile End Buzz Around Beekeeping
For the Love of Vinyl
Airing Our Dirty Laundry
Filming on St-Viateur

.