Roller Skate Lethbridge witches get together for a wicked stroll on skates, not brooms, at Henderson Lake. Martina Emard (right) says they want to make a spectacle of themselves. Photo by Rachel Gelowitz.
Witches from Roller Skate Lethbridge zoomed, cackled and accidentally crashed around Henderson Lake as their wheels rolled across the pavement Oct. 14.
The annual Witch Skate is a chance for members and the public to get together and have fun.
Costumes of any type, protective gear and roller skates are encouraged but not required to join the free event.
Attendees of all age groups were present, from small children and teenagers to adults and seniors. Most were dressed as witches and warlocks (male witches) but there were bees, superheroes and regular humans too.
Martina Emard, Roller Skate Lethbridge organizer and instructor, known as Cherri in the skating community, says the event is a great way to be visible to the wider Lethbridge community.
“We’re going to be skating down Mayor Magrath, so hopefully people will honk their horns at us,” Emard said.
“We’re just making a spectacle of ourselves,” she smiled.
She said that putting on a pair of roller skates means you instantly have a group of people you can hang out with and have fun.
Tuezday Bridgewater, a Roller Skate Lethbridge member, said Cherri and the roller-skating community itself is amazing.
“Roller-skating changed my life. I’m turning 40 this year and I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in,” Bridgewater said.
Despite her many skating injuries since starting last summer, including a broken finger, a twisted knee and two stitches on her chin, Bridgewater will continue to tear it up at the skate park.
She got the two stitches by trying a new trick with a backside stall and a slide on the coping. A backside stall is skating up a quarter pipe, then turning around and landing on the coping, which is the ridge at the top of the pipe.
“I got the slide, but then I faceplanted on the cement afterwards. I caught my chin and ended up in the ER,” Bridgewater laughed.
Bridgewater’s Moxi Panther skates have wide trucks and slide blocks to make doing tricks at the skate park easier.
She and fellow skater Bubbles are two of the first skaters in Lethbridge to transition to wider trucks, which are similar in size to skateboard trucks.
Bridgewater readily voiced her admiration for Emard.
“I love Cherri Blaster. She’s amazing. Anything she puts on, I always want to come out and support her,” she said.
Emard said while this event is free, all the proceeds from events with paid admission go back into the roller-skating community.
“That’s part of what Roller Skate Lethbridge is all about. Making roller-skating opportunities for everybody,” she said.
Roller Skate Lethbridge offers free skate loans for events and beginner classes.
Roller skating is a dominantly female sport, but people of all ages and genders are welcome at Roller Skate Lethbridge.
Bridgewater said that everybody should roller skate.
“I love seeing the boys out here on skates. It’s a very inclusive community and that’s why I love it so much,” she said.
The next Witch Skate is on Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. at Henderson Lake Park. Details and other events can be found on rollerskatelethbridge.ca.
