New roller skating initiative brings retro fun to Cold Lake

Ishita Verma · CBC News

· Posted: May 01, 2025 11:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

When Linda Folkard archetypal thought about starting a roller skating radical successful Cold Lake, she was simply looking for a amusive indoor enactment to interruption up the agelong wintertime months. 

But it wasn't agelong earlier she got the thought rolling. 

Folkard said Cold Lake, astir 300 kilometres northeast of Edmonton, has long and unforgiving winters and she saw a void successful activities for adults who whitethorn not privation to brave the cold. 

"It's not conscionable astir skating," she explained. "It's astir community, movement, and doing thing that brings radical together."

Folkard's casual thought rapidly turned into world with a batch of assemblage enactment for the idea. She said galore radical felt the aforesaid mode she did successful that they wanted the nostalgia and were "excited and acceptable to roll."

It was each the propulsion she needed to bring Roller Haus Roller Skating to life.

But she inactive needed roller skates. That's wherever Adam Erdmann came in. 

The proprietor of Architectural Clearing House successful Edmonton said helium had received bins of aged roller skates from a long-closed rink. 

"I had acceptable them up connected precocious shelves, like, I'm going to bash thing amusive with them," helium said. "I'm going to springiness them distant oregon bash immoderate benignant of foundation lawsuit and get them retired to the public."

Folkard learned from Claudia Garcia, the proprietor of Roller's Roller Rink connected St Albert Trail — the largest of its benignant successful Canada — that the salvage institution had astir 200 pairs of roller and inline skates successful its possession. 

Soon after, Folkard had a U-Haul filled with donated skates and gear, acceptable to be cleaned and refurbished by section volunteers and derby members.

"I was astir successful tears," she said. "It felt similar winning the lottery."

Erdmann said he's blessed to person yet recovered a location for the skates. 

"I wanted them to spell to a bully cause," helium said. "I wasn't disquieted astir selling them oregon thing similar that, I conscionable wanted them to proceed their beingness somewhere."

A propulsion for non-profit status

Roller Haus, operating successful collaboration with the Lakeland Lady Killers derby team, has already booked 2 roller skating nights this summertime astatine Cold Lake's Energy Centre, which is simply a large multi-use installation that includes arenas and recreational space.

Folkard said they are successful the process of securing different venue for the wintertime months, offering anticipation for semipermanent programming.

"We're calling it our 'forever home'," said Folkard. "We privation to beryllium capable to connection lessons, day parties, schoolhouse events, and possibly adjacent big skate nights — the benignant of worldly that makes radical say, 'I retrieve when."

Although Roller Haus isn't yet a registered non-profit, Folkard is moving with a lawyer to marque that official. She says it's a substance of values and vision.

"People request to cognize this isn't astir making money," she said. "It's astir creating thing for everyone — a healthy, active, inclusive space. That's what drives me."

As for the future, Folkard sees imaginable for much than conscionable skating. 

"I deliberation radical are craving connection," she said.

"They privation to move, laugh, and relive the amusive from erstwhile they were younger, and privation to stock that with their kids oregon grandkids."