Having grown up speedskating in Brooklyn, N.Y., David Harris eventually made his way to Utah and to Park City, where he saw a potential project that he was interested in developing and building a speedskating program.

The founder and president of the Park City Speedskating Club, is getting help from many different avenues, some expected, others not so much.

Derrek Parra, a two-time Olympic medalist at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, helped conduct races and training sessions Wednesday night at the Park City Ice Arena.

Parra was also a coach for the U.S. Speedskating Team at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.

“What (Parra’s) trying to do is to build up all clubs with associations with Utah speedskating,” Harris said.

Wednesday night, members of the club, which Harris estimates currently has around 15 to 20 skaters, gathered like they do every Wednesday and Sunday to practice and train.

But with a bit of a twist this time.

It being so close to Halloween, skaters then attended a festive Halloween party at the Park City Ice Arena. Invited was the Oval Speedskating Club based in Kearns, which trains at the Utah Olympic Oval.

“We wanted to do something fun for the kids,” Harris said.

Harris was adamant that building strong clubs locally and across Utah is a positive way to get people involved, and could prove vital later for those who wish to pursue it as more than a hobby.

“We’ve decided to get these clubs together to promote speedskating here,” Harris said. “We’re trying to promote it for the youth.”

Along with Parra, the Park City Speedskating Club is being assisted by, Catherine Raney-Norman. She was an Olympian at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver and has been helping set up a foundation for these clubs.

The club falls under the category of a validated U.S. speedskating program and a part of the Wasatch Speedskating Association, which includes three clubs within the state.

Harris said that Park City’s club is one of the most active in Utah, but he hopes to see more members make their way on to the ice at the Park City Ice Arena.

“I’ve been skating since I was 15,” Harris said. “I brought my love for it out here.”