For those looking to get on the ice this season, skates will be available through the City of Brantford’s Community Skate Exchange program every Wednesday from January 8 to February 12, 2025.
The program, which has been running since 2012, allows residents to donate any gently-used or new ice skates to various drop-off points around the city, which in turn, later gives other residents the option to pick up a free pair of ice skates to keep.
“The way this program works is that community members will drop off skates, and doesn’t matter if they’re kids, womens or mens, whatever you have, and then Bob Coyne, who is a beloved community member, sharpens all of the skates at no charge,” said Jennifer Middleton, Special Events Supervisor for the City of Brantford. “He inspects them and makes sure that the skates are in tip top shape and are safe to use, and then we host pick up events every Wednesday from January 8 to February 12.”
Middleton said that the program is a great resource for those who can’t necessarily make room in their budget to buy new skates, especially for their fast growing youngsters.
“As children, your feet are continually growing and so for parents, it can be a tough call to spend the money on new skates, especially if it’s just for something like a field trip to the Wayne Gretzky centre,” she said. “Over the years we’ve had kids come by to pick up a new pair and then they’ll come out the following year to exchange them for a size up; it’s a great resource for those involved in sports.”
The special events supervisor said that the program isn’t just for children, adults are encouraged to take advantage of the program as well.
“We’ve had adults that come by who haven’t skated in decades and they’re interested in picking it up again, but don’t want to commit to buying a set of new skates,” said Middleton. “They’ll come pick up a pair, try it out and if it works out and we never see them again, that’s great; but if they discover it’s not the hobby they want to continue at 40 or 50, then they’ll often donate them back and the cycle continues. It’s just a fantastic program that’s nice to offer for the community and it’s really picked up a lot of traction over the years.”
For those interested in donating a pair of skates, drop-offs are available during regular business hours at the following locations:
Those looking to donate their gently-used ice skates can do so at one of the following City’s drop-off locations, during regular business hours:
- Brantford City Hall, 58 Dalhousie St.
- Brantford Public Library’s main branch at 173 Colborne Street, and the St. Paul Branch at 441 St. Paul Ave.
- Doug Snooks Eagle Place Community Centre, 333 Erie Ave.
- Harmony Square office, 89 Dalhousie St.
- T.B Costain/SC Johnson Community Centre, 16 Morrell St.
- Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre, 254 North Park St., and
- Woodman Park Community Centre, 491 Grey St.
Middleton added that if any local hockey teams were interested in holding a skate drive, the City is more than happy to partner up just like they did with the Brantford Bulldogs.
“This year we partnered up with the Bulldogs and so at every home game, you can drop off your pair of skates before or after the game,” she said. “If your team would like to be a part of this, we’d love to collaborate with you.”
As far as picking up a pair of skates goes, Middleton reiterated that while pick-up times occur every Wednesday between January 8 and February 12, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., if that doesn’t work with your schedule, you can email harmonysquare@brantford.ca to coordinate a time that works.
She also recommended that if someone is planning on getting skates for their little ones, to bring them along if possible.
“We recommend bringing your child with you, which we know isn’t always the easiest, but skates can often just fit differently for every kid,” said Middleton. “It’s best if you bring your child with you, and then they can just try them on right on site, stand up, test them out, and make sure they’re as comfy as can be.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
