I ended up getting a little more than I bargained for sleeping overnight in my car in Head Lake Park last Friday (March 27).
For years, I’ve covered Places for People’s annual Sleeping in Cars fundraiser. My first one was 2021, back when it was held at Abbey Gardens. I remember speaking to an older couple there who came out to share their experiences sleeping in sub-zero conditions in a barely-heated caravan that winter.
I felt for them, as most empathetic people would. But I didn’t really understand their situation as, fortunately, I’d never been exposed to the elements in such a brutal and prolonged way.
I got a taste of sleeping in the cold last spring, when the power at my Lindsay home was out for five days thanks to that historic ice storm. Still, I was inside an insulated building in a comfy bed next to another warm body and wrapped in half a dozen blankets.
Having gone through that, I mistakenly believed I was experienced in the art of arctic sleeping. I agreed to partake in P4P’s fundraiser without any worries or concerns. Despite most of my friends and family looking at me like I’d gone mad when I told them what I’d be doing, I thought I’d be fine and approached the night as something of a vacation.
Temperatures rose in the lead-up to the event, but it was chilly before sundown – around -6 Celsius. The overnight low was listed as -14, feeling like -18 with the wind chill. Hanging around the fire with some of my fellow car-sleepers, I fooled myself into thinking, again, that this wouldn’t be much of a challenge.
After some hearty conversation with familiar faces – and life stories shared with new friends – I trudged off to my car around 11 p.m.
I didn’t prepare as well as some – I saw many people with mattresses in vans, trucks and SUVs – but still, I was proud of the cozy set-up I’d arranged in the back of my Ford Edge. After a brief call home, I settled in to watch a movie on my phone, hoping I’d drift off to sleep part-way through.
I didn’t.
About 30 minutes in, I had to switch positions to stop my breath from condensing the screen. Around the hour mark, I reached back for my hat and gloves, reapplying them to my near frozen appendages. By this point, I was wearing a pair of longjohns, sweat pants, pyjama pants, two pairs of socks, a shirt, sweater, hoodie, fleeced overthrow and wrapped in three blankets.
By the time the movie ended I couldn’t feel my toes. Thankful for the heat packs I accepted from a P4P volunteer earlier in the night – but internally swore I wouldn’t use while inside my car – I applied two on each foot and hand.
There was some relief initially – enough that I was able to drift off sometime around 1 a.m.
My slumber didn’t last long – I awoke every 30-45 minutes for the rest of the night. I could, and probably should, have turned my car on to warm up. But I felt that would have defeated the purpose. Yes, I was there to raise money for P4P. But I was also there to experience what it’s like for those less fortunate than myself.
When the sun came up just before 7 a.m., the inside of my car was like an ice palace. I had to scrape all the windows before setting off home.
It was a miserable night, but one I’m glad I endured. Truly roughing it without a heater felt like I’d legitimately earned the $380 raised from family and friends. It also gave me a much greater appreciation for the warm bed I have at home. I don’t think I’ve ever slept as well as I did on Saturday.
It might be a stretch to say I enjoyed my overnight stay in Head Lake Park, but it was an experience I can honestly say I’ll never forget.
