He reached his first milestone in Canada, securing his own housing after spending his first six weeks at the Immigration Services Society of BC (ISS of BC) welcome centre.
On the ice at Rogers Arena, he reached another milestone – being in a hockey arena and skating for the first time.
“Today is my first time seeing something like this,” he said with a laugh, rubbing sore legs after stepping off the ice. “I'm not a sports person, so today is my first time I've seen skating. I'm very happy - it's very interesting. I wish I can skate the way other people are skating.”
Adjusting to a new country comes with daily challenges, from employment to language to climate. Lovewell learned English in school as a youngster, but has been upgrading his English through workshops at ISS of BC and says it’s the people who make the biggest difference.
“I think Canadians are very friendly,” Lovewell said. “Sometimes I go to supermarkets and I'm looking for something to buy, and I don't see any workers [around] but I ask any customers and they will leave whatever they are doing to help me.”
ISS of BC organized bringing the newcomers to the skate, and the City of Vancouver Parks and Recreation generously provided the skating equipment for the event. Participants also got to meet FIN and Canucks’ alumni Kirk McLean.
The skate was hosted by Michael Magee, Director of Nch’Kay Development Corporation, who has been hosting the event since 2015. He was inspired to start the initiative by the 2015 European migrant crisis, wanting to help people feel welcome coming to a new home and experience the joy of being on the ice.
“Look at the smiles on the kids’ faces; a lot of these folks have come from pretty rough times – a lot of trauma, a lot of unhappiness, a lot of real problems,” Magee said. “It's nice to just be able to have some old school Canadian kindness.”
Magee and a team of volunteers helped newcomers lace up skates, fasten helmets, and find their balance. While the event is a great introduction to Canada, there are lifelong friendships that develop after meeting at the skate. They find advice, help, encouragement, and in some cases jobs.
Participants from this year’s skate came from across the globe including Venezuela, Sudan, and Palestine, some just arriving in the country a few weeks prior. Despite new surroundings and the challenge of standing on blades for the first time, the ice was filled with laughter and cautious glides.
Off the ice, the welcome continued with a traditional Canadian spread including a poutine station, pizza, burgers, and Nanaimo bars. For many, it was their first taste of the foods and traditions that are woven into the country’s cultural fabric.
They learned about Canada’s national pastime which helped turn a tough new chapter into a shared experience.
For newcomers like Lovewell, who crossed oceans to keep his creative dreams alive, the event is a reminder that after uncertainty, there is space to move forward, even if the first steps are a little unsteady.
