PORT CARLING - Muskoka Lakes is hoping to bring Kurt Browning to the Port Carling arena.
For the second year, the Port Carling Figure Skating Club is hoping to host the Brian Orser Skating School which concludes with a gala performance featuring Orser’s students from around the world. This year they are hopeful there will be guest appearances by both Orser and Kurt Browning.
Laurie Campbell, president for the Port Carling Figure Skating Club, said there is some competition with other areas that are able to offer their ice time for less cost.
However, she said the families of the skaters participating in the school particularly enjoyed the area.
“Typically these skaters do not want to leave their home clubs anywhere because this is the start of their season when they are really getting geared up, and the opportunity for families to have vacations with their skaters when they are in training is zero,” she said. “With what we were able to provide them with last year the skaters were able to maintain their routines on the ice and at the same time have an opportunity to vacation with the families because of what our area provided for them.”
The skating school was welcomed to the Port Carling area for the first time last year. Ten figure skaters from the Port Carling club and 40 skaters from other local areas and nine countries worked with top coaches to improve their skills.
Muskoka Lakes Mayor Alice Murphy showed her support of the event despite the proposed fees not covering costs for the ice time.
“I’m five feet away from world-class skaters just whipping around,” she said. “This is what we’re trying to do. To me part of this is an investment and I’m not suggesting that I want us to be subsidizing commercial events, but I do want us to recognize that this is a very prestigious opportunity for Muskoka Lakes,” she said.
The skating school would take place at the end of August.