“We are really excited to get back to work and see all the families and kids again. We have run into so many people who are excited to get back into skating, and we are ready for everyone to see all the hard work we have put in to making this a really nice, fun, family facility,” said Tara Patterson, who owns the rink with her husband Rob.
The adults only skate will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 26. This event is for those ages 18 and older. Admission is $10 plus skate rental. Patterson said the Fricker’s in Springfield also donated appetizers to hand out during the event.
The grand opening will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 6. It will be a “regular” cheap skate night with $6 admission and free skate rental.
“We have done a complete renovation,” Patterson said. “So many things were updated, removed or replaced.”
The work includes a new hardwood maple skate floor that cost more than $250,000, Patterson said. Other work included new concession countertops and cabinets, new paint, new glow carpet, new restroom vinyl flooring, new bathroom doors, updated sinks and auto hand wash faucets, new TV menu boards, updated pop machine, new ice machine, microwaves, updated railings and new black lighting.
Patterson said they also had some local schools involved in an art project painting ceiling tiles for the rink’s game room.
“We offered ceiling tiles to the schools to have their students paint to represent their school. They turned out awesome. It was one of my favorite projects we did,” she said. “We are a place for family fun, and we wanted to involve the kids and families of our community. This place really is for them.”
Schools included Hayward Middle, Roosevelt Middle, Kenwood Elementary, Snyder Park Elementary, Fulton Elementary, Clark Preschool, Shawnee Middle and High, Simon Kenton Elementary, Northwestern, Northeastern, Urbana, Clark County Juvenile Detention Center, Risen Christ Lutheran School and Springfield Christian. Patterson said she is still waiting on some from Catholic Central, Global Impact STEM Academy, Southeastern and Kenton Ridge.
“It’s wonderful to see so many of our (schools) represented in this newly renovated space. Incorporating the students’ art is a great way to bring meaning to a place and allow kids to put their own seal on it,” said Jenna Leinasars, communications specialist for the Springfield City School District.
The rink was forced to close on Christmas day last year because of sub-freezing temperatures that caused the pipes to break. The -10 temperatures caused the pipes to freeze and burst, which flooded the building. This caused $300,000 in damages, including needing a new wooden skate floor.
Almost everything needed to be replaced or updated, including the floor that had been there since the rink opened in the 1970s.
The center was first built in the mid-1970s by United Skates of America, then purchased by Andre and Pam Brand in the 80s, later being sold to its current owners, Rob and Tara Patterson in 2004.
The rink is open all year, but hours and days vary based on the season. The rink is open on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from October through May, and Sunday is added from November through April.
This September, the rink will only be open from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, with $6 admission and free skate rentals, and 7 to 10 p.m. on Fridays with $10 admission and $4 skate rentals.
In October, they will add 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, with $8 admission and $4 skate rental, and from 6 to 9 p.m., with $10 admission and $4 skate rental.
In November, they will add 2 to 5 p.m. on Sundays, with $8 admission and $4 skate rental, and from 6 to 8 p.m., with $6 admission and free skate rentals.
To stay updated or for more information, visit the center’s Facebook page.
About the Author
