Bhubaneswar: On the last day of the Raja Festival, the first skating rink in the city was inaugurated today at Madhusudan Das Park, Pokhariput as a gift for the sports enthusiasts of the Temple City. It is developed by the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA). The facility is planned with an aim to popularise the skating related activities across the city.
The skating rink was developed in association with Odisha Skating Academy, an institute to promote skating in the state. The academy was established in collaboration with Odisha Roll Ball Association and Odisha Roller Skating Association.
After a surge in the interest for roller skating in the city following the popular street festival Raahgiri, which was later renamed as Patha Utsav, the authorities at BDA had evinced interest in developing appropriate facilities to promote the sports as many youngsters and kids were showing immense interest in these skating related sports following the rising popularity of the street fest.
Secretary of Odisha Roller Skating Association and Odisha Roll Ball Association Partha Sarathi Jena, who is also founder of the Odisha Skating Academy, said “currently we are having 40 members at our academy in Kalinga Stadium. However, to make the roller skating related sports more attractive for the common people we approached the development authority and they have come up with two locations. The other rink is under construction in Buddha Jayanati Park, Niladri Vihar.’’
BDA chief horticulturist Ashok N. Dhar, who inaugurated the Pokhariput facility, said “the skating rink at Madhusudan Das Park is of nearly 8,000 square feet. We are today feeling very happy as many youngsters are currently showing interest in sports, which are new to the normal city following and roller ball (a type of foot ball played between two teams with roller skating on) and roller skating related activities have gained enough ground.’’
The upcoming facility at the Buddha Jayanti Park would be nearly 20,000 square feet size and quite big in comparison to the Pokhariput rink, which was inaugurated today amidst an audience, which encouraged the players. The students of the Odisha Skating Academy also played a roller ball game.
The skating rink at Madhusudan Das Park in Pokhariput will be managed by Odisha Skating Academy and their trainers will teach the boys and girls on the different aspects of roller skating.
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