Ron Bradbeer’s passion for roller skating burns brighter than a spotlight refracting off a mirror ball.
Every Thursday, from 12:30 to 3 p.m., Bradbeer hosts a roller skating session on the polished concrete floor at the Poirier Forum in Coquitlam.
And while there’s no mirror ball hanging from the rafters of the multi-purpose facility next to the Dogwood Pavillion, there’s plenty of disco music on Bradbeer’s tablet that’s connected to a portable sound system.
A half dozen skaters, including Bradbeer’s wife, Robbie, glide, swoop and twirl with various degrees of confidence and success. He’d like to see more.
“We love our sport,” said Bradbeer, who’s actually carrying on something that was started by his mom, Doris, in the 1980s when she held roller skating sessions at the old arena across the street.
Bradbeer said skaters are free to do their own thing during the two-and-a-half hour sessions that cost $2, or they can get some free instruction in precision skating like following figures chalked onto the floor or doing spinning twirls.
The sessions are sponsored by the Dogwood seniors group, and skaters are required to bring their own skates as well as protective equipment like elbow pads.
For more information, email ronbra@telus.net.
