First inline, roller skating event goes ‘smooth’

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The first inline skating and rollerskating night on Aug. 4 proved to be a success in Tillsonburg.

The second night, weather permitting, was shaping up to be just as good.

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First inline, roller skating event goes ‘smooth’ Back to video

“It says 14 skaters, that’s fairly accurate,” said Dan Mahony, although that estimate was later rose to 20.

They also had spectators who brought lawn chairs to enjoy the 50s and 60s music.

“They love it, they love it,” said Mahony as Little Richard’s Good Golly, Miss Molly played in the background.

“One lady said she skated the first year they had it here (1949-50). She has a picture, old and yellowed, of these girls putting on their skates, and they have plaid skirts.

The outdoor skaters, using either inline skates or rollerskates, seemed to be enjoying the experience.

“It’s been pretty positive. They are all so grateful to have this chance – it’s kind of unique (in Tillsonburg) I guess. Some of the people on quads mentioned they have done it in other centres like Simcoe and Toronto. So it’s big in certain centres.”

Just as it was in Tillsonburg back in the Sixties and into the early Seventies.

“Who knows, maybe it could pick up here again?” Mahony smiled.

Their venue, a newly-paved parking lot between the JL Scott McLean Outdoor Recreation Pad and Tillsonburg fairgrounds cow barn, has a bit of a slope, Mahony noted, that challenged first-time skaters.

“Most of the older folks who came out at least gave it a try. And most of them wore protective equipment. So the message got out.”

A second skate night was planned for Aug. 11, also from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ≠ and everyone was welcome to come back or come out for the first time.

After that, Mahony said it’s up to the Town and Tillsonburg’s recreation department.

“They were helpful to us in getting it going, so… we appreciate it.”

Town staff cleaned the parking lot surface three days before the skating event to help clear any small gravel.

“If anyone wants to assist in some sort of organizational role, it would be great if they could get in touch with me (email mahony@execulink.com or call 519-842-4652) because I wouldn’t mind easing back and coming out a half-hour before it starts and just enjoying the skating.”

“Tonight was kind of cool,” said Craig Milton, son of a local rollerskating legend, with the DJs playing Bobby Day’s Rockin’ Robin in the background. “I didn’t really know what to expect with this but I was pretty happy about the turnout. A few more skaters would have been nice, but you know what, the first night going I think it was kind of cool.”

Milton, wearing borrowed inline skates, was geared up wearing helmet, wrist and ‘elbow’ pads, and he was extra safe wearing hockey shin pads for his fourth time on inline skates.

“I wasn’t sure where I was going with this whole idea and I wasn’t prepared to go out and spend a lot of money on skates. So I borrowed them, but I might go buy myself a set, we’ll see where we go from here,” he said, already planning to come out again on Aug. 11.

“These are the safety knee pads I bought,” he said, showing that he was wearing them on his elbows. “That wasn’t happening, so I dug these (shin/knee pads) out of the equipment bag.

“Brought the big pads out,” he laughed.

“When I was coaching (hockey), a lot of coaches would go on the ice and they wouldn’t wear a lot of protective gear – just a helmet, their skates, and their gloves. I went down a couple times without knee pads and after that… I was wearing knee pads.”

Tony and Karlee Thornton made it a date night, and also planned to be back on Aug. 11.

“For outside, it’s great,” said Karlee. “I mean there’s no paved paths you can really go on, so parking lots are the next best thing and this one’s recently paved so it’s pretty much as smooth as you’re going to get. Our street got paved last year and that was nice but it’s not as smooth any more, it doesn’t take long.”

“There’s nowhere else to go in Tillsonburg,” said Tony.

Karlee was wearing a pair of inline skates she owned, while Tony wore a pair he just bought for the occasion.

“They’re cheap but they’re comfortable,” Tony smiled. “These were $100 and they’re good.”

“Two years ago we did the rollerskating,” said Karlee, who enjoys inline skating but said she does not skate as often as she’d like to.

“I thought it (indoor rollerskating) was really good fun, good value, and I’d wish they’d do it again,” said Tony.

Norfolk and Tillsonburg News columnist Laurel Beechey recalled a mother and daughter recently skating down a block near her north-end home.

“I remember getting my first and only pair of roller skates for my birthday,” wrote Beechey. “They were metal and one size not only fitting all kinds of shoes, they expanded so they could be used through at least a few years of our growing years. Compared to today’s skates they were unsophisticated and clunky, but they were cheap and could be used anywhere! The only problem was losing the key to put them on!”

Beechey, who moved to Tillsonburg in 1976, remembers being surprised by the number of people who had “snazzy roller skates permanently attached to white boots” who skated at the Tillsonburg Community Centre with friends, roller skating to music.

Those are the memories Mahony and friends would like to bring back to Tillsonburg.

cabbott@postmedia.com