"When I was grade 4 I went on a field trip to Kerrisdale ice rink and I was skating with a friend who didn't know how to skate.

My friend said that she wanted help, so I went and got my mom but then my friend said that she didn't need her after all and so I had to tell my mom to go...

it was an awkward moment."

"My history of Kerrisdale Arena started when I was 8 or 9 coming here to the Play Palace and I also remember my days of not being able to skate and just having to hold on for my dear life, hoping not to slip....eventually I did learn how to skate! "

"I am a heritage person and I am very concerned about changes in Kerrisdale.

I like the idea of having the arena, I think that it is important that children and families have an opportunity to skate or to do other things.

I’m very much in favour of either redeveloping in the sense of keeping the heritage, but not combining it with the community centre.

It’s really important to me that there is separate facilities around Kerrisdale to meet the growing needs of families and children, as well as seniors."

"My association with Kerrisdale Arena goes back 45 years! There used to be a wonderful adult skate on a Tuesday night and all the singles would come out - men would skate, women would skate and then we would get together and we would do 'crack the whip'- you can't do that anymore!"

"I went to BCIT in the 1970's and BCIT, CBC, CKVU and BCTV...we all had hockey teams, so we had these games at Kerrisdale Arena...and BCIT beat them all! So I associate Kerrisdale Arena with TRIUMPH! Now I come here 5 days a week and skate 40-50 minutes, I need to do something for exercise and my knees can't take jogging, but I can skate! There are lots of fun people who come out and I have great conversations - I am loving Kerrisdale Arena!"

"I have skated here [at Kerrisdale Arena] five or six times! My Dad has taken me here twice, but he doesn't skate - he takes pictures of me. One time I was skating and some people where in a long train. They crashed into me and made me fall. That was the only time I fell on the ice!"

"It's fun seeing the look on their faces when they are having fun! That's what really made a impact for me and I hope I made an impact in their lives as well!"

Ansel talked about bringing kids to Kerrisdale Arena to skate as part of a Marpole Place Neighbourhood House day camp.

The Arena 'studio'

"Since I discovered skating at the Kerrisdale Arena about 7 years ago, I like coming to the 50 and Better Skate - I now don't consider myself 'retired' I consider myself 'reactivated'! " 

"My Dad started coming [to Kerrisdale Arena]  when I was about  9, so I've always come to the public skates and then just recently, I started working here…the community is really great."

Rocking and rolling through November 2016 to June 2017 artists Lisa g Nielsen and Rene Cherrie will fuse sound and image exploring the exciting history of Kerrisdale Arena.

Community members will be invited to collaborate with stories, vision, music, art and more to create an immersive video and sound installation within the Arena itself.  

Find Rene and Lisa creating real time in the Arena’s 'living room' or in their mobile projection/sound studio at other locations in the community. Connect with and track the progress on this website!