Magnetawan residents can enjoy free roller skating every Friday night from now until the end of August.
The municipality has bought 50 pairs of roller skates at a cost of $15,000 to kickstart the recreational activity.
Deputy Clerk Laura Brandt says residents can sign out the roller skates or bring their own. Sizes range from child to adult and Brandt says it's first come, first serve.
All the skating takes place at the Magnetawan Lions Pavilion from 6 to 9 p.m. every Friday.
Brandt says the municipality is also providing helmets and pads. Although Brandt says, for now, the activity will only take place Friday nights, she adds, “If it's popular, we'll look at going a little longer.”
“The hope is people have fun,” Brandt said.
Brandt says she regularly roller skated growing up in Burk's Falls and has fond memories of going to the local arena to engage in the activity.
“Roller skating is making a comeback and I've been mulling over the idea of introducing it here,” she said. “And our outdoor pavilion is perfect.”
When she brought the proposal to the town council, everyone supported the initiative.
Brandt says no one else in the Almaguin region is offering roller skating and as a result, the local activity could draw other residents from the region into the Village.
She's hoping the activity can grow like skateboarding and perhaps some users can perform roller skating tricks.
“This works on several levels,” she said. “It helps promote physical fitness and it's outdoors. So if there is ever another lockdown, roller skating can continue since there is already social distancing.”
The municipality's summer students will facilitate the program at the pavilion.
Rocco Frangione is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the North Bay Nugget. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
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