Vancouver Polar Bear Swim goes online as the Polar Bear Dip

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      If you're one of those fun-loving maniacs who puts on a wacky costume and goes racing into the Pacific Ocean every New Year's Day to freeze your butt off in the name of a good time, I've got some bad news.

      The annual Vancouver Polar Bear Swim--which celebrated its 100th anniversary last January 1--won't be taking place at English Bay this time.

      The good news is, the Vancouver Park Board has just announced that the event is going online. Anyone wanting to participate in the newly named Polar Bear Dip is encouraged to take a dip in a bathtub or kiddie pool and, if brave enough, adjust the temperature to 7°C/44.6 °F (the average water temperature of previous Polar Bear Swims.)

      Registered "swimmers" will receive a commemorative certificate after the event and anyone who emails a photo or video to polarbearswim@vancouver.ca showing their participation will receive a commemorative button.

      “While we are deeply disappointed that our great New Year’s tradition of jumping into the frigid waters of English Bay will not be taking place in 2021," says Park Board chair Camil Dumont, "we know this is the right decision to make for the health and safety of swimmers, spectators, and staff. We’ve taken this community event online and hope that Vancouverites will take the dip in the safety of their home at 2:30 pm on January 1.” 

      Registration for the Polar Bear Dip opens this Monday (December 21) at vancouver.ca/polarbearswim

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