Katie May
Northern News Services
Published Monday, June 16, 2008

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The owner of Canuck Edge skate-sharpening shop is leaving town next week and he's taking his equipment with him, which could leave Yellowknifers in a lurch when skating season starts up again this fall.

Gary Stoodley said he offered to sell his equipment to the city for $4,500 so city staff could run the shop at the Multiplex after he moves to Kentville, N.S., to study electrical engineering. But he's disappointed city officials refused the offer, opting instead to ask for proposals from people interested in renting the space.

Stoodley said he doesn't know anyone in Yellowknife who has both the time and the equipment to run a skate-sharpening shop. Before his business opened two years ago, he said there was a three-day waiting list for skate sharpening at Overlander Sports, which will be the only business to sharpen skates in the city now that Stoodley's is closed.

"It's kind of stupid" the city won't run the shop, he said. "Obviously the need is there for another skate sharpening facility, and where better than the Multiplex, where we skate?"

Last winter, he sharpened around 20 to 25 pairs of skates a day on weekends and worked seven days a week.

"I worked nonstop," the 30-year-old said. "I'm the only dude in town who sharpens skates (full-time)."

Stoodley said he thinks it's a "no brainer" that the city would want to provide a skate sharpening service at the rink for the public.

"It's a for-sure money maker," he said, adding he thinks a city staff member holds a "personal vendetta" against him and that's the main reason the city refused his offer.

"I was born and raised here. I care about Yellowknife - I love it," he said. "I just want the people of Yellowknife to know that I tried."

Grant White, the city's director of community services, said it's standard procedure for the city to advertise a request for proposals from people interested in taking over the space when a business cancels its in-service contract with the city, as Stoodley did.

White said city staff don't have the training or expertise to operate skate-sharpening machinery.

"We don't have the staff to do that. It's special equipment," he said, adding that the city will likely receive several business proposals for the shop.

"I know there are several interests in town to set up a skate sharpening business."

Mayor Gord Van Tighem said it wouldn't be good city policy to go into competition with other businesses, such as Overlander, by operating a skate sharpening business itself.

"The city rents space to businesses that complement the activity in the venue (the Multiplex)," said Van Tighem.

"The city can't buy businesses to go into competition with other residents."

The city is expected to soon put out a request for proposals for the shop. Then, city officials will rate the proposals and choose the best one to rent the Multiplex space.

As for Stoodley, he said he's keeping his equipment and he might try setting up shop again part-time in Nova Scotia.

- with files from Mike W. Bryant