If your children want to learn how to skate, five local community leagues have a solution.

Three years ago, Delton, Spruce Avenue, and Eastwood community leagues joined forces to host a hockey program for local youth. When 144 young people registered, only 17 of them said they could skate, so the program pivoted to become primarily a free learn-to-skate program. Parkdale Cromdale Community League joined the program last year and McCauley Community League followed this year.

“We wanted to provide programming for the community but we also wanted to have our rink surfaces used more,” says Janet Henderson, president of the Delton Community League. “The first year was more successful than we could have imagined.”

Thanks to a partnership with Sport Central, skates and helmets are provided to the participants for free. Expenses such as insurance, administration, and instructors are paid for through grants from the City of Edmonton Revitalization Grants program and Hockey Alberta.  Each community league receives a fee to offset the costs of running the rinks and provides volunteers to tie skates and help out during the sessions.

“Hockey and skating programs can be very expensive and many in our community cannot afford them. We are trying to fill that need,” says Verna Stainthorp of Spruce Avenue Community League.

Hour-long sessions are held at each participating rink for approximately 12 weeks and registrants can indicate which rink is more convenient for them. If there is enough interest, weekend shinny sessions (informal hockey games) may be scheduled.

Registration for the 2023-2024 season is currently open. Interested parents and youth can email odrlearn2skate@gmail.com for more information.