Gala ice show March 24, open house March 25
The Peterborough Figure Skating Club will celebrate 70 years with a celebration of its past and present March 24 and 25.
A 70th anniversary gala ice show – Memories Through the Decades – will be held at 6:30 p.m. March 24 at the Memorial Centre.
It will feature two guest skaters and current PFSC members from beginners to seniors along with the club’s synchronized skate teams. The guest skaters are professional Violetta Afansieva and current Canadian junior women’s champion Aurora Cotop.
Cotop is coached by former PFSC skater and coach Mike Gillman. Afansieva, who became well known on the CBC-TV show
Battle of the Blades, is married to former PFSC skater and coach Peter Dack.
Former PFSC member Thom Whitby will serve as the evening ’s master of ceremonies and special recognition of past skaters will take place in an opening ceremonies prior to the show.
Tickets are adults $10, seniors $8, students $5 and no charge for children under 12. Tickets, cash only, are available in advance at the PMC box office or at the door.
“We are hoping our skaters will be able to have an autograph session with Aurora and Violetta,” said PFSC past-president Hallie Atter.
On March 25, the club will host an open house at the Peterborough Naval Association Club from 1 to 4 p.m. There will be formal presentations from 2 to 3 p.m., including guest speaker Donald Jackson the 1962 world champion and 1960 Olympic bronze medallist. Jackson was the first man to complete a triple Lutz in competition. He is an Oshawa native but his first coach was former PFSC coach Ed Kiraly.
“Donald would come to Peterborough to skate sometimes, one season in particular when they rebuilt the arena in Oshawa after it burned down,” Atter said.
There is no admission fee for the open house but donations to a new PFSC Bursary Fund will be accepted and a silent auction held to support the bursary. Anyone interested in attending, whether affiliated with the club or from the community, is asked to RSVP at www.eventbrite.com/e/pfsc70th-anniversary-open-housereunion-tickets-31619668279. Snacks and refreshments will be served. Memorabilia will be on display. “People will have an opportunity to reminisce through the decades,” Atter said.
Atter stresses the event is not just for PFSC alumni but also community members.
“Part of the reason this club has been as successful as it has is because of the community support,” she said.