Skate Mission Cape Breton

Skatelife reaching out in Glace Bay

Enjoying some new DIY terrain in town!

Skatelife recently returned from Glace Bay Nova Scotia for its second Skate Mission and service trip. Glace Bay is a community of 20 000 people on Cape Breton Island. Since the mines closed down over fifteen years ago Glace Bay's unemployment rate has reached 40% of its residents. Local residents estimate that more than half of the towns men are alcoholics. Every young person in this community has lost friends or family to substance abuse. Until recently the only youth program in the town was ice hockey, reaching only some of the kids for a portion of the year.

Skatelife drove from Toronto to Glace Bay to serve the local Youth Centre at Light House church, pastored by David Sawler. Fifteen years ago David Sawler and his wife moved into the area with a dream of changing the culture of Glace Bay. Together they opened Light House Church and Undercurrent Youth Centre. Undercurrent Youth Centre operates programs for youth seven days a week. The programs include dance and art classes, sport activities, and skateboarding. David's hope is that young people would see a positive alternative to drugs and alcohol.

We spent the week opening up the indoor skatepark at Undercurrent, building spots for the local skaters, cleaning the skatepark, putting on a contest, fixing ramps, and doing some small construction jobs around the church.

Kids in Glace Bay were so excited have us join them for the week. One little guy in grade five had "Skatelife" written on his board in anticipation of our arrival. This same little guy said one day after skating with us "This is the happiest I have ever been!".