Lace Up: Canada's Passion for Skating






>About the Exhibition

>A Word from the Curator

>The Exhibition Curator

>A Brief History of
Figure Skating in Canada

>A Brief History of
Speed Skating in Canada

>A Brief History of
Hockey in Canada

>The Revolutionary
Indoor Rinks

>Jean-Marie Leduc's Skate
Collection

>Communiqué


>Louis Rubenstein
(Memoirs Productions)
From January 27, 2006 to April 1, 2007

Jean-Marie Leduc's
Skate Collection

Sixty-two pairs of the historic skates on display in Lace Up: Canada's Passion for Skating come from the remarkable collection of Mr. Jean-Marie Leduc, of Ottawa. Half way through a 35-year career at the Queen's Printer, he discovered a new hobby announcing speed skating competitions. Skate collecting soon followed. After 25 years devoting his spare time to his passion, Mr. Leduc has a richly documented collection of 341 pairs of hockey, figure, speed and short-track skates. He is consulted by people the world over as an authority on the history of skates.

Skates from Mr. Leduc's collection have been exhibited at the centenary celebrations of both the Stanley Cup and Speed Skating Canada, as well as at the 75th anniversary events for the founding of the National Hockey League. His skates have also been featured in displays at the University of Ottawa, the Canada Science and Technology Museum, during Winterlude and special events in Calgary and Edmonton, as well as in many schools in the National Capital Region.

Among the outstanding artifacts from his collection on display in Lace Up are a metre-long wooden clap skate, made in 1870. Known as a "river skate," it was the forerunner of today's somewhat shorter long-track speed skate. Visitors will also see a skate from 1843, believed to be the first model of skate in Canada, made of a leather shoe and metal blade permanently attached together as one piece. Earlier skates were separate gear that had to be strapped, clamped or otherwise attached to a shoe or boot.

The exhibit includes Mr. Leduc's personal favourite - the prototype skate specifically designed for short track by the late Raymond Laberge, a highly innovative Canadian speed skating enthusiast. As Mr. Leduc explains, Raymond Laberge's design led directly to the International Olympic Committee's acceptance of short track speed skating as an Olympic sport. "That is why I consider this the greatest skate I have," he says. "It created an Olympic sport that Canada exported to the rest of the world."

Although never a skater himself, Mr. Leduc first got caught up in the sport when he accompanied his young son, who was a speed skater, to his training sessions. He then developed a great personal interest in it and started as an announcer for skating events at the National Capital Region's Winterlude Festival. Through his volunteer work each year with Winterlude, Mr. Leduc became used to "thinking ahead." So in 1981, when he was elected President of the Ottawa Pacer's Speed Skating Club, he began making preparations for the 100th anniversary of Speed Skating Canada in 1986. His idea was to start a collection of historic skates, and by the end of 1981, he had already found four exceptional pairs.

Mr. Leduc searches for his historic skates in antique stores in Quebec, Ontario, the Atlantic Provinces, Upper New York State and the Netherlands. He is also a certified announcer for races for Speed Skating Canada and is recognized by the International Skating Union. He has announced speed skating competitions from the local to the international level, including the Winter Olympics and World Championships.

Visitors to the Canadian Museum of Civilization will be able to share in Mr. Leduc's vast knowledge of Canadian skates and skating history at two talks he will give in conjunctions with Lace Up on January 27 and 29, 2006 at the CMC.