Skaters escaping the summer heat at Easy Street Arena in Simi Valley on Thursday got a lot more than a place to cool off--they had the opportunity to see former Olympic gold medalist figure skater Scott Hamilton putting together a routine.
"I looked at him skating and couldn't believe it," said 10-year-old Kendra Puckett of Newbury Park. "I remember him from his dancing routine from TV."
Hamilton, a 1984 Olympic gold medalist in men's figure skating, has been practicing at the ice arena for the past two weeks while preparing routines with his choreographer for the upcoming Stars on Ice national tour.
Sarah Kawahara, Hamilton's choreographer, lives in Westlake Village and uses the Simi Valley arena because it's the sole ice rink in the Conejo Valley and Simi Valley. Hamilton, who lives in Colorado most of the year, recently bought a vacation house near Lake Sherwood in Hidden Valley.