Students glide and slide through roller-skating night event

The Students’ Association transported students away from campus to 4 Wheelies Roller Skating Centre on March 21 for a sold-out event.

The SA bussed students to the venue on Baxter Road to enjoy a night of roller skating, having fun with friends and meeting new ones. The off-site event provided students with an opportunity to experience another part of Ottawa they may not have been familiar with.

When students arrived at 4 Wheelies, they laced up their skates and rolled onto the rink.

“I love the fun part of learning something new for the very first time,” said Ella Kho, a student at Algonquin College studying early childhood education. “I’ve been attending some of the events that the Students’ Association organizes, and I really love the off-site events, especially as an international student. I would like to see more.”

Around 15 students skated around the rink and were asked to leave their phones and belongings in the 4 Wheelies closet room.

During their time skating, students held onto their friends’ hands, laughed, fell and tried not to cling to the side of the rink.

Amanda Logan, the events programmer at the SA, said there will be more fun off-site events for students to join in the future.

“A handful of times, we like to do off-site events and bring students to a new experience,” said Logan. “Students love off-site events. Every time we host one, it always sells out.”

The event required students to provide the SA with a $10 deposit to secure their place for roller skating. Transportation and skate rentals were covered by the SA.

The venue offers skate events, classes, memberships and sells skates. They also have a tab on their website for booking private events.

Nichapat Phondee, a student from Thailand studying marketing management, said this term was her first time in Canada and she wanted to attend an event to hang out with her friends.

“I had hoped the event would be on a Friday night, but it’s still good that they provided a bus for us to go to and from the event,” said Phondee.

Alessia Raguseo, a student studying business management and entrepreneurship, said she skipped her class that day to attend the event and wished it was on a different day.

Logan said that the SA hosts these events so students can gather with friends or make new ones.

Part of her role, she said, is to ensure that the SA creates a fun campus culture.

“I want to make more connections with other students and would like to see the Students’ Association host more of these events,” said Phondee.

Rebecca Jacket, a student studying early childhood education, said she too would like to see the SA host more 80s and 90s themed events.

“I am happy with on-campus events too, but I really love going to off-site events like these,” said Jacket. “It’s all about the vibes.”