Club History

Saint John Skating Club – Canada’s First Organized Skating Club

Founded in 1833 on Lily Lake, the Saint John Skating Club holds the distinction of being the first organized skating club in Canada. What began as informal gatherings on natural ice has evolved into a modern, inclusive skating club that continues to play a vital role in our community. Under the leadership of Murray Fraser, the club joined Skate Canada over 60 years ago and has been developing skaters of all ages ever since.

Each year, we welcome approximately 150 participants into our nationally recognized CanSkate program, Skate Canada’s flagship learn-to-skate curriculum. Built on Sport Canada’s Long-Term Development (LTD) framework, CanSkate teaches foundational skating skills that apply to hockey, ringette, speed skating, and figure skating, making it the perfect launchpad for all ice sports.

In addition to our learn-to-skate offerings, the Saint John Skating Club supports competitive figure skaters who compete at provincial and national levels, proudly representing our city and club.

Our coaching team brings more than 45 years of combined experience to the ice and includes award-winning coaches recognized at both the provincial and national levels. Our Head Coach is a member of the National CanSkate Resource Team, and two of our coaches actively mentor clubs across New Brunswick, helping elevate the quality of skating instruction throughout the province. We are also proud to carry on a family legacy, with one of our coaches being the great-granddaughter of our founder, Mr. Fraser.

From historic roots to national recognition, the Saint John Skating Club is proud to continue building a community of confident, capable skaters—on a foundation nearly two centuries in the making.