Share this Story : Polar Plunge: More than 70,000 reasons to smile Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Breadcrumb Trail Links News Local News Polar Plunge: More than 70,000 reasons to smile Cold temperatures and yet another Ottawa snowstorm were no match for the support shown for Special Olympics Ontario. Author of the article: Staff Reporter Published Mar 01, 2025 • Last updated 55 minutes ago • 1 minute read Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here . Or sign-in if you have an account.
Ottawa Police Service Chief Eric Stubbs was the first to take the plunge at Lansdowne Park on Saturday. Photo by Ashley Fraser / POSTMEDIA Article content The 2025 Polar Plunge at Lansdowne Park was a resounding success despite frigid temperatures and a snowstorm that swept across Ottawa. Local heroes, including members of the Ottawa Police Service, plunged into icy waters and raised more than $70,000 for Special Olympics Ontario to support the 2025 school championships in Ottawa in June.
With 36 agencies participating across the province, this year’s fundraising total more than doubled last year’s, showcasing incredible support for 23,000 Special Olympics athletes across Ontario. Here’s an array of photos by Postmedia’s Ashley Fraser. Special Olympics Athlete Melanie Heroux is gently guided into the pool by divers from the Ottawa Police Service marine, dive and trails unit.
Photo by Ashley Fraser / POSTMEDIA Sgt. Sebastien Lemay, .