Coimbatore’s main hangout is the VOC Ground, located near the VOC Zoological Park. Here, the Corporation built a roller-skating rink in 1994 and it was a prominent training area for children in and around the city.

But it fell into disrepair and the skaters were more likely to get injured prompting parents and skaters to petition the Corporation, which announced Rs 30 lakh for repairs and also to set a synthetic track for national level games. After consultation with experts, work started before the State Assembly elections in May and in six months, it is almost finished.

Since the elections though, the work has slowed down. L Rajkumar, a competition-level skater, said, “I used to practise at this rink every evening with coaches giving me special training, which took me to many school level competitions. But with the work going on for the past six months we are unable to practise. We are happy that the rink is being upgraded with a synthetic track. But the work needs to be completed soon, so that we can get back to practising.”

Corporation Commissioner K Vijayakarthikeyan told The Covai Post, “The skating rink works are almost finished, with only a synthetic coating and some slab work pending. It will be completed by the end of December.”