Remembering skating at old arena

Reminiscences from Arlette Trcka of skating at the old arena, which was located where the Creemore Medical Centre is now.

The old arena was a fun place back then. It had a little room to warm up. It had a wood stove. We would come in from skating and it never failed that someone would say, “I smell wool burning.” Someone sitting too close to the old stove would scorch their ski pants.

Cy Colb always provided music for us to skate to. The Blue Danube, the Skaters Waltz, etc… Creemore sounded so nice as the music could be heard all over town.

I was just little and learning to skate. Norman Barber would take my hand and skate with me. I would come home and I would tell Mom, “My boyfriend skated with me.” She would ask, “who is your boyfriend?” I would say, “Normy Barber.”

It upset me so bad when Norman was killed (at the age of 18. He was the passenger in a truck that was hit by a drunk driver).

Mom and Mrs. Barber always went fishing together. I used to go with them. They fished at the beach.

Mr. Barber always papered our house and I loved when Norman would come and help.