Coaldale Library earns pair of awards

By Lethbridge Herald on November 29, 2025.

Nathan Reiter
Lethbridge Herald
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Coaldale Public Library has been awarded some hardware for a community initiative.

Back in November 2024, the library launched the skating library which offers 100 pairs of free skates for all ages and skills levels. 

As a result, the library was awarded a Minister’s Award for Municipal and Public Library Excellence for communities serving less than 10,000 and a READ award, which is presented to Chinook Arch region libraries.

Kindra Birss, head librarian at the Coaldale Public Library says it was an incredible honour to receive the recognition.

“It’s very exciting that they recognize that this is something that we have met this need for our community. We saw that there was going to be an outdoor skating rink and that might not be accessible for everyone. Not everyone might have the means to buy a pair of skates and kids grow out of skates very quickly. It was very exciting for us that we could provide this service that everyone from the community could use and enjoy and it’s free.”

Over the course of the skate library’s existence, it has received significant support from the community. The Town of Coaldale and other local groups including the Kinsmen Club have provided skate trainers and helmets along with funding and other resources for the skate library.

“The community has really embraced it.” Birss says. “Been coming in and borrowing equipment using it. Great feedback. The community has even continued to donate pairs of skates. We’ve had a local skate sharpener who’s sharpened 60 pairs of skates for us for free. Just so well embraced by the community. Schools that will come in and direct their classes to come borrow skates for us so that they can go on a class trip. It’s been really, really wonderful.”

To celebrate the awards, the Coaldale Public Library is hosting a public skate night at the Coaldale Civic Plaza Outdoor Rink on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 5:30-8 p.m. The night will feature free skate rentals, music and family activities, a special appearance from Elsa from Disney’s Frozen along with hot chocolate, s’mores and pizza.

Birss says the library is looking forward to more future initiatives. 

“We’re grateful to the town for their amazing initiative of putting in this outdoor skating rink and then recognizing that we had a good idea with our skate library. They provided the grant money for that so we’re very grateful to the town and our wonderful relationships and we’re really excited for what we have coming up.”