Toronto Development and Recreation Committee votes to explore free skate-lending program
City staff will study creating a program at rinks where there’s demand, as well as hosting a skate exchange at the beginning of winter so kids can trade in their too-small skates for bigger sizes, said city parks general manager Janie Romoff at the committee meeting.

 

Thestar.com
Jan. 17, 2018
Samantha Beattie

Toronto could have a free skate lending and exchange programs in place at rinks across the city next winter.

The Community Development and Recreation Committee voted in favour Wednesday of city staff exploring the idea first proposed by Councillor Mike Layton last week. If approved at council, city staff will prepare a report on the feasibility of lending skates to residents who wish to use city rinks. The report would be ready just before summer.

City staff will study creating a program at rinks where there’s demand, as well as hosting a skate exchange at the beginning of winter so kids can trade in their too-small skates for bigger sizes, said parks general manager Janie Romoff at the committee meeting.

The Christie Pits rink in Layton’s ward, Trinity-Spadina, had to turn down 100 donated skates because it didn’t have a rental program in place, Layton wrote in a letter to the committee.

“The generous offer would have allowed for thousands of families to enjoy our great Canadian pastime without the need for the costly investment in ice skates,” he wrote.

Dufferin Grove Park and Nathan Phillips Square are the only rinks in the city that offer skate rentals for a fee, Romoff said.

Councillor Paula Fletcher said there’s a demand in her ward (Toronto-Danforth) for skate lending and exchanges.

“Skating for pleasure, which is fantastic, is probably one of the most affordable things. But on a pinched budget with a number of kids, (residents) are not going to have skates,” Fletcher said.

Councillor Michael Ford (Etobicoke North) said there’s a “massive demand” for skate rentals in his ward, and he hopes a lending program would generate more donations.

“We hosted our first skate party last year and advertised we had skates to loan,” Ford said. “We had a full hockey rink, and all skates were used. I will absolutely be supporting this endeavour.”