Windsor church basement harbours huge skate collection

By Angelica Haggert

Sometimes Art Roth wonders why he’s in a church basement on Saturday mornings to fit people with skates.

“This time of year, I begin to wonder because it’s a long season,” said Roth. “When people come here and borrow skates and tell us they had a great time and tried things they never thought they could do, then I say … yeah, it’s worth it.”

Roth has been organizing the lending program since 2003. Typically, families or newcomers to Canada stop by the church in downtown Windsor to borrow individual pairs of skates and try to learn this classic Canadian hobby. Skates can be borrowed Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

“It was kind of one of those Canadian things we thought the kids needed to be able to do.”

Emily Diotte took her class of sixth and seventh graders from Glenwood Public School ice skating in January. Diotte was able to borrow 100 pairs of skates from the All Saints Church skate lending program.

“Less than half of the kids actually owned their own skates,” said Diotte. “It’s definitely something that all kids need to learn. It’s good exercise and also good fun.”

The basement of All Saints Church is packed with skates, and on Saturdays the hall is set up to offer soup and veggies for lunch after skating. Skates are donated all year long, and six sports stores in town sharpen the skates at no cost.

During the week, groups like Diotte’s class from Glenwood can arrange to borrow a large number of skates for special programs. Roth appreciates that people like Diotte make the effort.

“That’s good to see. A lot of kids get the chance to skate because their teachers took the initiative to do this on their own,” said Roth. 

As part of the Saturday morning program, the lending program also has volunteer “coaches” across the street at Charles Clark Square to teach anyone who wants to learn. John Cummings has been volunteering for eight years and says new immigrants make the biggest impact on him.

“They’re trying to immigrate into the Canadian lifestyle and society. What more traditional Canadian thing is there than this?”

Roth’s favourite memories are when new Canadians step onto the ice for the first time.

“Just a couple years ago, dozens … maybe hundreds of Syrian kids came to skate, coming from refugee camps. Here they were in cold Canada with a pair of skates on,” said Roth. “Amazing, amazing.”

Cummings says anyone can come learn to skate or lend a hand.

“I encourage anybody to come out and help. If you can skate well enough to not fall on the kids I’ll take you.”

As for whether Roth will volunteer again next year, he says ask him again at the end of the season.

Regardless of whether he returns, he said all the volunteers are committed to getting people into a pair of skates.

“We’re giving a lot of people a chance to skate who have never had a chance before. We’re giving them a healthy pastime for a lifetime,” said Roth.

“We’ll keep doing it. It’s always worthwhile.”