For the fourth straight season, seven service clubs from the Battlefords have stepped up and sponsored another year of the North Battleford public skating program.
"Some people see this as a small program, but this is my baby," said Bill Samborski, City of North Battlefords recreation facilities manager. He is the man behind the push to make public skating in the community free.
Before the program began in 2007, the City was concerned about people trying to sneak into public skating and not paying the fee. Samborski explained that it was hard to police it and when they did see some kids sneaking in to skate, they often looked the other way, which wasn't fair to those who were paying and telling someone interested in skating that they had to leave the rink didn't seem right. The program where anyone everyone can skate for free appears to be one of the only in the province, It is made possible by Bonaventure Lions Club, Battlefords Lions Club, Kiwanis Club of the Battlefords, North Battleford Kinsmen Club, Royal Canadian Legion Branch No.70, North West Hockey Development and Rotary Club of the Battlefords.
"We are in these clubs for these kinds of things," said Gib Volk of Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 70.
Samborski thanked all those in attendance at the Civic Centre Thursday and said they make it easy to keep the program running because they are all ready and willing to donate annually to the project. Last year, the number of hours offered was 136 with 4,489 people taking advantage of free skating.
That number has continued to grow since the program began in 2007. The first year had 3,120 skaters, followed by 3,621 in 2008.
"We are in this to provide a program many people use," said Samborski.
The program offers public skating Mondays from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at the Civic Centre, pre-school and senior skating Wednesdays from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. at the Civic Centre and Thursdays 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Don Ross Arena, pick up shinny Saturday evenings at the Agriplex and extra ice times on week days during school holidays.
