They're all laced up with nowhere to roll.
The Vancouver Junior Roller Derby (VJRD) team is searching for a permanent space to skate.
Since 2013, the group had been using the Mount Pleasant Community Centre gym for weekly practices.
On August 9, the team received notice the centre’s association board was suspending inline skating and roller derby activities.
The annual budget to maintain the centre's floors has been cut and "as a result, they felt the need to cut roller derby and inline skating, citing the idea that these sports, the perception that these sports, cause more wear and tear than things like floor hockey," explains VJRD board chair Madeleine Shaw.
Now the VJRD doesn't have access to a covered facility wheres practices or games can be held. Currently, competitive bouts can only take place at the Chilliwack Landing Leisure Centre.
The team has more than 50 members, ranging in age from six to 18. The fringe sport has grown significantly over the last several years; roughly 70 youth are on the group's waitlist.
The VJRD is Vancouver's only junior roller derby team and one of only two junior teams in the Lower Mainland. The organization is notable for its gender inclusion and LGBTQ2S-friendly culture. According to Shaw, it remains a safe space for many children struggling with gender identity.
"There is no girls team or boys team; it just doesn't exist. It doesn't matter what gender you are, you're welcome to play derby."
A rally was held on Labour Day at Concord Community Park to raise awareness about the issue.
The VJRD has also been invited to an upcoming Mount Pleasant Community Centre association board meeting to address the issue.
The public is encouraged to sign an online petition in support of the group finding a dedicated year-round wheeled sports facility.
