Edina Council hears plans to expand popular skating program
The Edina City Council heard an update on Brar Arena's Learn to Skate USA program, which has become one of Minnesota's most successful skating instruction programs. The council learned about new leadership and plans to make skating more accessible to community members without family connections to the sport.
Brar Arena's Learn to Skate USA program has established itself as a major player in Minnesota's skating landscape. For the 2023-2024 season, the program ranked as the third largest in Minnesota and 42nd nationally, demonstrating its significant reach and reputation.
The council was introduced to Dana Swanson, the new Skate School Director who will lead the program's next chapter. Swanson brings substantial experience to the role, having previously run a skate school in Eden Prairie for a decade. Her background and passion for skating position her to guide the program's expansion efforts.
Swanson outlined an ambitious vision for growing the program's impact. Her strategic plans include expanding the variety of program offerings, increasing opportunities for open skating, and improving accessibility for all community members. A key goal is to broaden participation beyond families with existing connections to skating, making the sport more welcoming to newcomers.
The discussion underscores Edina's established skating culture and the community's commitment to maintaining and growing this asset. By focusing on accessibility and diverse program options, the arena aims to introduce more residents to a sport that has deep roots in the region.
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[Music] Brar arena is home to one of the most successful learn to skate USA programs in Minnesota with over 700 skaters enrolled in the program in 2023 and 2024 this past winter Dana Swanson was hired as Brar Arena's new Skate School director Edina TV met with Dana recently to find out what attracted her to the position and what her plans are for the future of the program no matter the season at Brar Arena every day is an opportunity to lace up and prepare hi guys come on out to feel the ice Glide Beneath Your Feet well that's the goal all the way down keep your eyes up out our eyes up let's go skap come on every year hundreds of people age three and up sign up for learn to skate USA programs so many in fact it ranked as the third largest in the state and 42nd in the nation in 2023 and 2024 we have some of the most experienced coaches out of any learn to skate program in the country and it really contributes to the demand in our program in the region when an opportunity to lead the various programs became available last year Dana Swanson knew she would apply she had skated competitively at Brar Arena as a child launching a skating career she ran the skat School in Eden Prairie for a decade Edina is just such a well-known skating community so I know it draws a lot of good skaters and that made me really interested to be a part of it together B Swanson was hired as Skate School director last December she has a method for making learning skating fundamentals fun even when gravity wins I love seeing them overcome their fears it kind of clicks where they really aren't scared anymore Dana brings a lot of excitement to the program um she's extremely passionate about skating Swanson is working toward offering more open skate opportunities more events and lessons accessible to everyone I do I think I want to bring the program to everyone in the community not just people who maybe their parents skated or they have that history in their family but to make it accessible to everyone just as every stumble can be a learning moment Swanson sees time with every student as an opportunity to give back it's having it come full circle I mean I started in a learned Escape program just like this um so to be able to come back around and Coach it completes me 1 2 3 at Brar Arena I'm Dan Carpenter good job everybody forv the next session of learn to skate classes at Brar Arena starts in June registration for the summer session opens to e Dino residence on April 16th visit Brar arena.com for more information
This story was created by artificial intelligence (a large language model) based on the proceedings captured in the video below.
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