With summer approaching, students such as junior Leah Schrank are trading in their bikes for some smaller wheels.

According to Hoigaard’s assistant store manager Brian Foley, rollerblading is an activity created in Minneapolis as a way for hockey players to keep up their fitness level during the summer.

Although rollerblading was originally intended for athletic use, Foley said different local venues and paths make it an enjoyable and popular activity for many people of all ages and skill levels.
“We have more milage on trails that are inline skate accessible than most cities,” he said. “In places like Chicago or New York there are parks where you can skate, but here you can go all over. It is good exercise, low impact and affordable.”

Schrank said she thinks rollerblading allows her to maintain her hockey skills throughout the year.

“It helps a lot with form and conditioning since rollerblades are like (hockey) skates,” she said. “I use rollerblading as a way to stay fit during the summer.”

In addition to its athletic value, rollerblading is also a way for students and their families to exercise and explore the outdoors.

Junior John Dirks said rollerblading makes him feel energized, and it is an enjoyable form of exercise during the summer. He said his favorite place to rollerblade is around Lake Harriet.

“The scenery is very nice and I like the breeze coming off the lake,” he said. “Also, it’s connected by a path to Lake Calhoun, so you can do both lakes.”

For those who prefer an indoor environment as opposed to outdoor trails, tracks at the Metrodome and the Roller Gardens in St. Louis Park allow for the opportunity to rollerblade year-round.

Junior Otter Pinske said she has never rollerbladed before. However, she said she would definitely be interested in trying the activity.

“I would want to go to the Roller Gardens,” she said. “It would be a good way to learn a new method of transportation.”

Despite changes in popularity as a result of factors including unpredictable summer weather and industry fluctuations, Foley said he thinks that rollerblading will continue as a popular, stable and vibrant activity for athletes and non-athletes alike.

“It was started here (in Minnesota), and even though the industry goes up and down, we have a great infrastructure for it,” he said. “It will never die out.”

Where to rollerblade:

-Chain of Lakes, Minneapolis
-River Parkway, Minneapolis and St. Paul
-Cedar Lake LRT regional trail, Hopkins, St. Louis Park and Minneapolis
-Metrodome, Minneapolis