R.P. Lumber Center Set to Debut Dedicated Wheelchair-Accessible Skate Sessions

EDWARDSVILLE – The City’s R.P. Lumber Center will host a special event for wheelchair users to take a whirl on the ice as part of a commitment to provide fun, safe and accessible opportunities for everyone.

A wheelchair-accessible skate session will be offered on Sunday, April 21, from noon to 2 p.m. at the center, 6289 Tiger Drive. The event will be free to people of any age using wheelchairs or strollers, including parents with young children. It will make use of a ramp that is being custom-built to help facilitate even easier rink access at the R.P. Lumber Center, which was constructed with accessibility in mind.

The R.P. Lumber Center’s goal is to make the wheelchair accessible skate a recurring event. It is debuting a year after the R.P. Lumber Center launched Shine on Ice, a series of classes that offer children with disabilities the chance to experience the joy of an ice rink.

Rae Lalor, the center’s facility coordinator, said hosting a wheelchair accessible skate was a natural follow-up to Shine on Ice. “Several of our guests have family members in wheelchairs who come in and watch them skate,” she said. “If we have a chance to help someone get out and do something that they’ve never done, such as ice skating, then we believe we should make it happen.”

While the session will be free for those using wheeled devices, there is a fee for those who accompany them. Admission for those who live within the Edwardsville School District 7 boundaries is $7; it’s $9 for those who live outside District 7 boundaries. Skate rental is $3, and anyone not using a wheeled device must wear skates on the ice. Anyone with questions about the event can call 618- 307-1706.

The R.P. Lumber Center opened in June 2022 and features a state-of-the-art NHL regulation-size ice rink, fitness room, teen center and community meeting space. It’s open seven days a week and offers classes, programs and memberships for all ages and abilities. Find more information about the facility at: www.therplumbercenter.com.

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