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It was in 1953, with Mr. Robin Scott as instructor and
Mrs. Ernest Gorrell as President, that the Port Elgin Figure Skating Club
first started with 40 skaters. After the first year, however, the Club
was dropped until 1957, when several mothers, keenly interested in figure
skating lessons for their children, were instrumental in getting the club
started again. In that season, 1957-58, all town children were registered
free, and out-of-town children were charged 26 cents per lesson.
In November 1959, with an enrollment of 125 skaters, the Club applied for membership in the Canadian Figure Skating Association. On the very morning that the acceptance was received, the Arena burned to the ground. Undaunted, carpenters volunteered to rebuild temporary dressing rooms. Oil stoves were set up. The skating surface was fenced in. One week after the fire, skating lessons resumed outdoors. The club was at a standstill until 1962, when the new Arena, with a much larger ice surface, was opened and figure skating started that fall with Mrs. Gorrel again as the President. In the fall of 1963 Mrs. Gorrell handed over the presidency to Mrs. Pat Fenton. Over the past 40 odd skating seasons, Presidents, executive members, parents, and skaters have made many contributions to the Club.
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| Last Updated August 5, 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||