Watch above: The Royal Glenora Club unveiled its new NHL-sized rink today and announced a new hockey program. Laurel Gregory was there.
EDMONTON — An Edmonton club that has historically been known for its world-class figure skating program is hoping to match that success by offering an elite-level hockey program.
Beginning in the new year, the Royal Glenora Club will offer a new hockey program for kids. Former Oiler Jason Strudwick will coach the program, alongside former Olympic figure skater David Pelletier and NHL goalie coach Eli Wilson.
Strudwick’s focus will be on skill development.
“There are a lot of nuances to the game that I think I know. I have a lot of experience,” he said. “Skating is a huge part of the game, but at the same time you have to be able to pass, shoot, redirect, all those types of things.”
Strudwick says he’s worked with Pelletier in the past and is really looking forward to being part of the new hockey program.
“I would be happy to put my kids in this program,” he said. “To learn to skate and learn those fundamentals of hockey or to improve those fundamentals of hockey is huge.”
The Royal Glenora is a members only club; the new hockey program will be offered to members’ children only.
The program will run on the club’s new, NHL-sized rink, which officially re-opened Thursday after an 18-month renovation. The old rink was in such poor condition the then-club president said, without repairs, the skating program would have to shut down.
“The floor, for lack of a better expression, was basically an outdoor rink inside. So it was a sand floor,” said the club’s GM David Martin.
“The mechanical was original, so we were working off of a 1961 engine and it was well beyond its useful life expectancy. So it was time to invest back into the equipment.”
Members of the club put the money forward for the $2 million renovation. Martin says the new facility is state-of-the-art and parents have already started signing up their kids for the new hockey program.
“We really have gone full circle and we’re right back to being a leader in facilities as well as programming.”
The Royal Glenora Club is hosting a weekend of festivities this weekend to mark the re-opening of the rink, including hosting the Edmonton Oilers’ practice Saturday morning.
The Royal Glenora Skating Club has trained such Olympic greats as Kurt Browning, Kristi Yamaguchi, Jamie Sale and David Pelletier.
With files from Laurel Gregory, Global News.
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