Wet concrete at the John Lalonde Roller Rink has the Masset Razor Clams slipping behind their training schedule.
The 14-member roller derby team trains Monday nights, and hopes to finish a two-part skills course by the end of April so they can make chowder of the competition on the mainland.
But whenever the air temperature in the rink dips below about 5C and rises again — something that has happened a lot this winter — condensation makes the rink too slick to skate on.
On Feb. 22, team members Brie ‘Sock-eye Suzy’ Altrogge and Myriam ‘Clamity Jane’ Rioux told Masset Village Council about the issue, and asked whether they could rent the Howard Philipps Community Hall as a back-up on training nights when the rink is unusable.
Altrogge told councillors that roller derby gear has come a long way since the 1980s, and everyone has toe stops, heel brakes and knee pads that won’t mark the floors. The team also has insurance and full safety gear.
Mayor Andrew Merilees thanked the team for speaking to council, and said councillors would decide on the possible hall rental at a later date.
The condensation issue at the roller rink is already on the village’s priority list, Merilees added, and a technician is expected to take a look and make recommendations for a fix in the coming weeks.