City of Toronto's opportunities for Family Day fun on February 15 include a skating party at Nathan Phillips Square

The City of Toronto encourages residents to enjoy Family Day on Monday, February 15 by taking advantage of City-run recreational facilities and historic attractions.

New for this year is a family skate party at Nathan Phillips Square, 100 Queen St. W., from 1 to 4 p.m. The family skate party, presented in partnership with RBC Royal Bank, Canadian Tire, and Tim Hortons, will feature DJ Fase. The event includes interactive sponsor activities and giveaways, and there will be a Tim Hortons coffee and hot chocolate truck. Other Family Day recreational opportunities:

Skating at other sites: Family Day schedules for outdoor rinks and select indoor rinks vary and are available online at www.toronto.ca/familyday . There is no charge for public skating at the City's indoor or outdoor rinks. Hockey helmets are mandatory for children under age six and are recommended for skaters of all ages.

Swimming: Family Day leisure swimming will be available at City-run indoor pools on Family Day. City-run leisure swims are free of charge for everyone. Family Day schedules for each City facility are available online at the web link above, or by calling 311.

Recreation programs:
Select recreation facilities will also offer a variety of free programs for the whole family. Children accompanied by an adult can enjoy swimming, indoor/outdoor skating, yoga, Zumba, gymnastics, sports, arts and crafts and much more. Family Day schedules for each City facility are available online or by calling 311.

Riverdale Farm: The City's farm at 201 Winchester St., open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., features farm animals and offers various activities. Free Family Day drop-in activities will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

High Park Zoo: Toronto's oldest zoo, the High Park Zoo has been entertaining people for 120 years. The zoo, which houses domestic and exotic animals such as bison, llamas and reindeer, is located on Deer Pen Road and is open daily from 7 a.m. to dusk. Admission is free.

Conservatories and greenhouses: You can warm up and take in the sights and smells at Toronto's beautiful conservatories, Allan Gardens Conservatory and Centennial Park Conservatory, which will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Family Day. Admission is free and the conservatories are wheelchair accessible.

Skiing and snowboarding: The City has two ski and snowboard centres with lifts:
- Centennial Park Ski and Snowboard Centre, 256 Centennial Park Rd.
- Earl Bales Ski and Snowboard Centre, 4169 Bathurst St.
Both centres will be open from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Family Day. Details about equipment rentals and the use of helmets are available at www.toronto.ca/ski  or by calling 311.

Family Day at Toronto's Historic Sites
Seven of the City's 10 historic sites will offer events, activities and tours on Family Day. Programming highlights for the open sites are listed below. Regular admission fees apply except for Historic Zion Schoolhouse and Todmorden Mills Heritage Site. Times and activity details will vary by location. More information is available at www.toronto.ca/museum-events .

Fort York National Historic Site (250 Fort York Blvd.): Families can visit the fort's historic kitchen and sample baking from the hearth. Hot chocolate and a roaring fire will make for a memorable visit. Kids can try an 1812 drill class, the officers' sword drill, old-fashioned games and a fun-filled kids' activity book.

Historic Zion Schoolhouse (1091 Finch Ave. E.): Families can explore this rare, one-room schoolhouse in north Toronto. Visitors can learn how to write with a steel-nib pen and enjoy storytelling, craft-making and other activities. Donations of new or gently used children's books will help the Children's Book Bank provide books and literacy support to children in need in Toronto. Admission is free.

Mackenzie House (82 Bond St.): Visitors can celebrate Black History Month in Toronto by learning about Black Victorians and their publishers and newspapers. Families can take home a piece of journalism history by printing a copy of the Provincial Freeman newspaper. Family Day visitors can also try illumination ¬ colouring previously drawn and printed pictures ¬ popular in the 19th century. Visitors will be treated to cookies and warm cider from the historic kitchen.

Montgomery’s Inn (4709 Dundas St. W.): The inn will celebrate the monster mash-up movie Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Visitors can learn to dance like the Bennet girls, create terrifying crafts and experience ghoulish face painting. Wearing historic or zombie costumes is encouraged. Families can snap a photo in a photo booth equipped with sets and props.

Scarborough Museum (1007 Brimley Rd.): Scarborough Museum will offer fun activities such as a scavenger hunt and a craft activity. Visitors will be able to sample baked goods and hot chocolate.

Spadina Museum (285 Spadina Rd.): A family-friendly tour includes games and hands-on fun in the historic kitchen ¬ all set in this beautifully restored 1920s environment.

Todmorden Mills Heritage Site (67 Pottery Rd.):
Visitors can make a craft in the Papermill gallery and sample a tasty treat in the newly-restored 1940s cottage. There will be guided outdoor walks and admission is free. Also taking place on the Todmorden grounds is Family Snow Day, Eh!, a Canadian Cancer Society fundraising event to support life-saving research and vital support services for families living through cancer. Registration: www.familysnowday.ca .

Toronto Zoo
The Toronto Zoo will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Family Day, with daily activities free with zoo admission. More information about the zoo's indoor tropical pavilions, interactive interpretive stations and daily keeper talks is available at www.torontozoo.com . The public is also invited to vote via the website for their choice of names for the zoo's two panda cubs.

Other municipal facilities and services
All City of Toronto emergency and 24-hour services will operate normally on February 15. City administrative offices and service counters will be closed on Monday, re-opening on Tuesday, February 16.

The TTC will operate on its holiday schedule on Family Day. Holiday service is similar to a Sunday but with Saturday start times. Any routes that do not normally operate on a Sunday will not operate on the February 15 holiday. More TTC information is available at ttc.ca/Routes/index.jsp .

City-operated child care centres and Children's Services district offices will be closed on Monday. Toronto Home Child Care Agency providers will offer service as usual.

All Toronto Public Library branches will be closed on Family Day. Archival Services at 255 Spadina Rd. will also be closed on Monday.

Some community recreation centres will be closed on Family Day. Closure notices have been circulated in advance at those locations and will be posted at each site. Residents can call their local centre ahead of time to check on its schedule.

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities.