The first time Josef Polcz experienced a cold plunge was a pure accident, but for the last 20 years, the 65-year-old Barrie resident has been stripping down to his skivvies and jumping into the wintry waters of Kempelfelt Bay by choice.
Polcz also organizes the annual New Year’s Day Polar Bear Dip at Centennial Park in support of the Barrie Food Bank, which will mark its 16th year on Jan. 1, 2025.
“It started off as my yearly tradition … to bring in the new year, wash away the bad from last year and bring in the good for the new year,” he told BarrieToday.
The tradition has since grown and now sees numerous of people from the community join him as they shiver their way into the water.
“I kept trying to get people to come join me … and for the first few years it was just a few people. Each year after that, it’s been growing since,” he said.
While the event is free, he asks participants to bring non-perishable food items to donate to the Barrie Food Bank.
“Last year, there was over 100 pounds of food that I gathered and well over 150 people," Polcz said.
Polcz started doing cold-water swimming in 2012 as a way to prepare for a swim across Lake Ontario, but said he’s been doing 'polar bear dipping' for even longer.
“Barrie used to have it at the festival, but my first polar bear dip was when I was about four years old in Toronto at Grenadier Pond where I was tobogganing and I went into the water unintentionally," he recalled.
Polcz says he’s hoping this year’s event will bring out even more participants.
“From the start of the pandemic, people were looking for something to do, and it (cold dipping) became very popular,” he said, adding over the course of the winter he will cut a hole in the ice and dip daily.
For the New Year’s Day event, the lake is not typically frozen, therefore participants will run into the waters.
“Only twice in the last 16 years was it frozen. I cancelled it once and the other time I poked a hole in (the ice) and did it with a few people,” Polcz said. “It makes me feel good and I am glad to raise the food for the food bank, and it makes me happy to see all these people enjoying the cold water.
“It’s really healthy for you, helps boost your immune system and it helps boost your dopamine levels and makes you happy! You never see somebody in the cold water in a bad mood — they’re always laughing and giggling," he added.
Polcz says he never knows how many people will show up on the day, but is hoping to at least be able to raise the same amount for the food bank.
“I am hoping for at least 100 people. Every year, it’s gotten bigger, so you never know.”
