In the heat of a sunny, mid-July afternoon, Kevin Walker was outside with his skates on and a hockey stick in hand on a sheet of ice located smack in the middle of Third Avenue.

No, seriously. Walker, a 24-year-old Timmins native, was at Urban Park on Friday to promote his new business called Old Time Hockey Development, a hockey skills training program which incorporates synthetic ice.

On Wednesday, Walker will return to Urban Park (on Third Avenue, between Balsam Street and Maple Street) with an 8-by-20-foot sheet of “ice” for patrons to try. From there, he wants to begin building a client base of passionate hockey players who are looking to train year-round – something that wasn’t available to him growing up.

“I know what it’s like having to drive four, five hours just to go on the ice,” Walker said.

“You go to summer hockey tournaments down south in Toronto – and these tournaments are anywhere in June and July – and there’s kids that have been skating all summer and have been out there twice a week,” he said. “Whereas we don’t have access (to ice) whatsoever during the summer months, until about mid-August.”

Walker, a defenseman, played locally up through the Timmins Majors Midget ‘AAA’ program. He then moved on to five years of junior hockey, four of which he spent as a captain, and three years in Sweden’s Division 2 pro league. He spent his past two offseasons working jobs at a handful of places, including Legault Sod Farms, Relentless Fit Club and Full Beard Brewing Co.

It’s still possible for him to return to Europe and continue his playing career, but as he put it, “the opportunity for me to work for myself and kind of schedule my own time has been huge.”

And while Old Time Hockey Development is a brand-new venture for him, the foundation for the business has been in place for years. In addition to his hockey-playing resume, Walker has worked at various hockey camps in Timmins and enjoyed the process.

Now, he wants to see what he can do on his own, with a wealth of knowledge and a platform to share it. His business will serve skaters 6-and-up, with programs to improve shooting, stick handling, skating mechanics and leadership skills.

The biggest difference between synthetic ice and the real thing, according to Walker, is that synthetic ice has more resistance and can provide a bit more of a leg workout. He doesn’t suggest training exclusively on the synthetic stuff, but it can be a nice supplement – particularly when there’s no other ice to use.

First, Walker brought ice to Timmins in July. In the near future, he hopes to help train the city’s next generation of hockey-hungry athletes.

“I’ve had professional experience and I’ve been through the ringer in terms of junior hockey and professional hockey,” Walker said. “So I know what it takes to get ready and train yourself.”