More than 100 people put on their bathing suits and ran into Hayward Lake to welcome the New Year on Thursday, Jan. 1.
The Maple Ridge Cold Plunge group held their inaugural New Year’s Polar Bear Swim at the lake with hot chocolate, coffee, and treats for everyone who turned out.
Marcel Larouche came all the way from Langley Township to take the plunge.
He explained that he doesn’t do it every year, but has been plunging for more than a decade. He enjoys a new experience every time he does plunge and has taken part in different events over the years – in White Rock , Deep Cove, Fort Langley, in the Yukon, and at Moran Lake, a lake close to Lake Louise in Alberta.
One of his secrets is to put on a little weight in the latter part of the year for extra protection from the cold water.
Augusta Gladstone, was there with her son Gregory, 8.
Originally from Kingcome Inlet, home of the Dzawada’enuxw First Nation, she is now living in Mission
Gladstone said the last time she did a New Year’s plunge was in Chilliwack in 2020.
“We call it a Spirit Bath,” she explained, noting the bath, in which a person is meant to dip four times for each direction – north, south, east, and west – is meant to lift up a person’s spirit and cleanse that person for the year to come.
Harold Elzinga and his partner Marcelle Mathieu, were bundled up, watching the event from the beach.
“This is amazing. I love it. These people are just so brave,” said Mathieu.
“I admire people who will do this,” added Elzinga. “I don’t know why they do it, but it’s personal satisfaction I think. Once you’ve done it you can pat yourself on the back.”
Local real estate agent Jake Johnston and Donna Bateman, who started the Maple Ridge Cold Plunge group, organized the New Year’s Day event.
They started the group at the beginning of January, 2025. Their first plunge into the Alouette River at Davidson’s Pool attracted only six people.
Now their Facebook group has more than 1,000 followers and hundreds come out to the weekly plunges.
They also raise money for Cythera Transition House Society, an organization that supports women and children fleeing domestic violence.
Last year they raised $1,500 for the society and this year they are hoping to raise $3,000.
“It’s just really fun bringing the community together,” said Johnston.
“We have a lot of fun doing it. You always feel great afterwards and we’re raising money for a good cause,” he said.
It was a first plunge ever for Sarah Campbell, from Mission. Her friend Paula Blamey, from Maple Ridge, had done a plunge in previous years.
The close friends had a way of finishing each other’s sentences.
Campbell said they came up with the idea of doing the New Year’s Day dip this year while on a cruise.
“The whole theory is if you can’t go over it and you can’t go under it, you’ve got to go through it,” said Blamey.
“So this is us going through it,” quipped Campbell.
Blamey said the plunge is all about resilience.
“If we can do this,” started Blamey. “Then the rest of the year is a piece of cake,” finished Campbell.