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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 27, 2019

Rollerskate Vancouver brings the party on wheels to Downtown Vancouver starting April 20

Vancouver, BC – Rollerskate Vancouver is excited to once again bring some funk and glitter to the rink at Robson Square. The 2019 roller skating season kicks off on Saturday, April 20^th with a day of events on eight wheels, and with the help of new sponsor Rolla Skate Club, this year’s events will be bigger and better than ever.

“With the huge turnout we had at our events last summer, it’s clear that Vancouverites want to escape real life for a couple of hours to feel the wheels on their feet and the wind in their hair,” says organizer Andrea Fraser-Winsby. “We are so grateful to have the support of the roller skating community and Robson Square­ for these events, especially because Vancouver roller skaters now have so few places to do what they love.

The good times start at 4pm with the All-Ages Family Skate, a roller derby bout presented by Rolla Skate Club at 6pm, then it’s time for the grown-ups to get down with DJ K-Tel at the Disco-themed Adult Skate (ages 16+) from 7-10pm.

Rental skates will be available, provided by the Rolla Skate Club truck, but sizes are limited. Skaters are encouraged to purchase tickets and reserve skates in advance at rollerskatevancouver.com/events.

This is just one of many pop-up roller skating events happening at Robson Square this season; Rollerskate Vancouver has a full schedule planned throughout the summer and fall with events on May 11, June 9, July 6, August 30, September 14 and October 5.

About Rollerskate Vancouver

Andrea Fraser-Winsby (aka Andi Struction) was a founding member of the Terminal City Rollergirls and played competitive roller derby for seven years. After retiring in 2014, she continued to roller skate for fun and fitness, and started meeting other Vancouverites who were also keeping the dream alive. With no dedicated roller rink in Vancouver, these sad, lonely skaters had no place to practice and connect with each other, so Andrea started Rollerskate Vancouver in 2017 with a few social Seawall skates, and due to popular demand (and the slow, painful demise of Central City Arena in 2018), it has blossomed into the events and entertainment company that Vancouver roller skaters have been craving.

LISTING INFORMATION – Pop-Up Roller Rink – Disco Night

For further information, contact
Andrea Fraser-Winsby
info@rollerskatevancouver.com

Download. PDF release here

Download high-res photos below, credit to Samantha Gill

Roller skating is good, clean fun. Our intention here at Rollerskate Vancouver is to make a safe space for anyone who wants to roller skate, regardless of who they are. Anyone who threatens or harasses anyone else in an RSV space is going bye-bye. We like to employ the first rule of roller derby: DON’T BE A DOUCHEBAG.

Below, you’ll find details about our harassment policy:

Rollerskate Vancouver has adopted a zero-tolerance policy toward discrimination and all forms of unlawful harassment, including but not limited to sexual harassment. This zero-tolerance policy means that no form of harassment by or towards any skater, friend, employee, volunteer, vendor, or any other person in our spaces will be tolerated. We are committed to enforcing this policy at all levels. Any one who discriminates or harasses anyone else within our physical or digital spaces will be subject to discipline, up to and including immediate discharge from the space and removal from any and all Rollerskate Vancouver activities in the future.

This policy prohibits all forms of illegal harassment and discrimination, not only sexual harassment. This includes harassment or discrimination based on gender, age, sexual orientation, perceived disability, marital status, personal appearance, race, color, religion, national origin, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Unfortunately, there is still confusion around the meaning of sexual harassment in particular, so it deserves special mention. Sexual harassment may take many forms, including the following:

• Offensive and unwelcome sexual invitations
• Offensive and unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, including sexually graphic spoken comments; offensive comments transmitted by e-mail or another messaging system; offensive or suggestive images or graphics whether physically present or accessed over the Internet; or the possession of or use of sexually suggestive objects; and
• Offensive and unwelcome physical contact of a sexual nature, including the touching of another’s body; the touching or display of one’s own body, or any similar contact.

Every report of harassment will be investigated promptly and impartially, with every effort to maintain confidentiality. The complainant and the accused will be informed of the results of the investigation. If we find that this policy has been violated, we will take appropriate corrective and remedial action, up to and including discharge of offending members, and/or similarly appropriate action towards offending vendors, employees, or volunteers.

No one will be retaliated against for reporting harassment. This no-retaliation policy applies whether a good faith complaint of harassment is well-founded or ultimately determined to be unfounded.

No one associated with Rollerskate Vancouver is authorized, or permitted, to retaliate or to take any adverse action whatsoever against anyone for reporting unlawful harassment, or for opposing any other discriminatory practice.

Any questions or complaints should be directed to rollerskatevancouver@gmail.com.

One of the reasons why we started Rollerskate Vancouver was because people always ask me, “Where is there a good place to skate?” In Vancouver, that’s a tough question. With the closure of Central City Arena (fka Stardust) in Surrey, Lower Mainland roller skaters now officially no longer have a place to call their own, so people who want to skate don’t know where to go!

So, I’m excited to introduce our new blog series called “Places to Skate.” There will be descriptions, ratings, maps, photos and video to show you all of this city’s secret and not-so-secret skate spots. And if you don’t see your favourite spot, send the location and reasons why you love it to rollerskatevancouver [at] gmail.com, and we’ll go and check it out!