Wetaskiwin District Heritage Museum Centre & City of Wetaskiwin Archives

This year’s NHL season commenced early this month and hockey fanatics across Canada are delighted. It’s hard to contest that the frosty sport isn’t one of the nation’s favorites, and many take to the ice to lace up themselves come the colder months. But ice skates have changed drastically since its original design! These detachable ice skate blades, complete with leather cloth loops on the front and rear, are much more akin to early skates. Ice skating began approximately 4000 year ago in Southern Finland. During the chilliest times of the winter season, people would strap strips of wood or even bone to the bottoms of their boots. It made for more efficient long-distance travel across ice or packed-down snow. Traditional blades were eventually discarded in favor of sharpened steel or iron, which made gliding possible. Improved mobility later led to the creation of races, made very popular in the early nineteenth century, and Canada’s national winter sport of hockey. Who are you rooting for this season? Swing by the Heritage Museum to learn more about local hockey teams or check out the Star Store’s new Air Pucks: an indoor puck that hovers over smooth surfaces!