Right to Skate runs most of their lessons and camps out of the Saskatoon area but are looking to branch out more. (Facebook/Right to Skate)

By Mat Barrett

Kickflips and Ollies

Right to Skate bringing skateboard camp to Melfort

Jul 14, 2020 | 1:00 PM

Right to Skate is bringing their skateboard camps to the northeast, the first of which being in Melfort.

Right to Skate brings skateboard camps and lessons to various communities, mainly around the Saskatoon area. Executive Director Joel Fortier said they try to bring the opportunity to skateboard to kids of all socio-economic situations.

“When you have organized and team sports, not everybody can get involved with that,” he said. “With skateboarding, it’s a very individual based merit system, you can go out and you can do it at any time. So, the commitment involved has to do with the person involved, so what you put into it is what you get out of it.”

Melfort will host one of Right to Skates camps on Saturday, July 18 at the skatepark at Spruce Haven. The skatepark in Melfort was built in 2018 and cost the city over $720,000, but has been a hit in the area. Fortier said it was a big draw for them to come here.

“Right now, some of the better skateparks in Western Canada are in the northeast,” Fortier told northeastNOW. “So that was a big mandate of ours, to push the programming outside of what we were doing right now.”

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Fortier added being from the Zenon Park area, he knows what skateboarding is like in the community.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic still hangs over everything in the province, something the Fortier is well aware of. He said their staff have been trained on how to properly conduct their lessons while still keeping their six-feet of distance. Sanitation will also be a big focus, according to Fortier.

He said with the pandemic limiting sports and recreational activities to some point, some kids are looking for something to do.

“I think with the amount of kids, and just with the [COVID-19 pandemic], and us doing our physical distancing lessons,” Fortier said. “It provides another option for kids out there to do some recreational activities this summer.”

Fortier said they also welcome parents to come participate with their children during the lessons, he said all the teaching can be done from a distance, which helps limit contact during a pandemic.

“If they want to jump in and be interactive with the lesson, we more than encourage that,” Fortier said.

Fortier is asking those interested to register by Friday, July 17 to make sure they know numbers prior to the camp. Registration can be done through email at righttoskate@gmail.com or through Facebook.

Conversations are also taking place with a few other towns in the area for similar events. Fortier said they hope to have a camp in Tisdale in August, and possibly one in Wynyard as well at some point.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6