The original building how it looked in 1990s before it closed and renovated into a plaza seen below. It had that Segmental Arch and full size real close to the road and that was front door below the sign. I love those 1990s colors on there! Those were popular 1990s colors combination of White, Shamrock Green, and Purple--the popular of Memphis Graphic Group colors. Both photos of the Historical Society of Hardford County
Courtesy of Bel Air News and Views. Taken in 2007 as the new rink building being built next to the bank where the original rink used to be. Clearly you can see the bank is "now open" in 2007. It was built in 2006/7.
Under construction.
Today as a shopping plaza.
Bel Air Roller Rink 1403 Conowingo Rd, Bel Air, MD
The Rink at Bel Air 1403 Conowingo Rd, Bel Air, MD (just a name, not a rink)
Bel-Air Roller Rink but also called Air Roller Rink but I think some sites had that mistake. It was according to Google Map, a Colonial-style two story building!? It is now a bank. But I think not as I put the yellow man on the map to see on street level and I found that there is a roller rink next door! It is called The Rink at Bel Air. Was that related or just happened to be an entirely new rink with no association with Bel - Air Roller Rink? Anybody? Was the old Bel Air on site where the bank is now? The Google Map got it all wrong. It was next door after all.
Now read on.. an update clears the fog.
UPDATE --
I received an email regarding this rink. There is a clarification for this reasoning--
I stumbled across your site while trying to find information on some various businesses that used to be around Bel Air in the 60's.
I am struggling to find any information on exact dates as far as when the Bel Air Roller Rink closed up, when construction started, etc. But I have lived here all my life, and although I'm not old enough to remember it in its prime, I do remember going there as a kid.
I don't think it was ever called Air Roller Rink, but I could be wrong. A 1966 Bel Air phone book lists it as Bel Air Roller Rink. I know Bel Air Roller Rink opened in 1952, and was in operation until the late 90's to early 2000's when it closed.
The building sat empty until around 2007. The interior was gutted, and was used as storage for construction materials and equipment for the 1'st Mariner Bank (now Howard Bank) next door. The bank is a new construction, built on what was an empty field / parking lot. After the Bank was completed, the old roller rink building was modified, moving the front of the building farther back from the road per local regulations. The side wall was moved inboard, leaving the roof in place, creating a covered walkway. "The Rink" is now a shopping center, with a Seasons Pizza up front, and a couple of other businesses on the side. [Very interesting story here]
MacKenzie Retail, LLC is who was in charge of the reconstruction, and did pretty much the same thing with the old Kunkel Service Company building at 331 Baltimore pike in Bel Air.
I'm sorry I don't have more information on the roller rink itself, but I hope this helps shed some light on the location and it's fate. [Sure did helpful, sir!]
There is not much story about Bel Air Roller Rink but I can say a little bit about the current rink, The Rink at Bel Air. This one really is one of the newest and most modern "rink" building I ever seen. Truly retain classic Arched-Curved roof called Segmental Arch but the appearance has very much modern look. The sign which is located on this part of the building that looked like a chimney and it is not. And it is also Arched-Curved. It is very Neo-Googie-ism style. It also has several businesses including a nail salon and another business as well as a local pizza shop. The pizza shop is located inside of the rink. So, that separate from the operations of the rink.
The rink is interesting one but I could not find that website of theirs! Still operational I believe but they need to have a website.
It was opened in 1952. It ran about 50 years. Charles Durham who was Maryland State Trooper living on a 222 acres farm in a 22 room Victorian style house as a bachelor built this Segmental Arch Roof roller rink for 150,000 US Dollars. (it would equal to over 1,460,213 USD in 2020 money). He was a bachelor all of his life. In 1996, someone else established the rink business as new owner apparently according in Bizapedia. Then folded in early 2000s.
It had 100 feet by 210 feet--one of the largest rinks around at the time. It had most expensive wood using Michigan Maple which was from Michigan. The walls were Knotty Pine which was popular in 1950s. Likely wainscoting style. I recalled seeing 1950s style walls in 1960s and 1970s as a child and teenager. Both the ticket booth and the office had those paneling.
The concession stand is on the left side. Two soda machines stand against the wall. They had at one time served hot dogs and hamburgers but now is limited to pizza, snack food items and candies.
There were Four rows of Light Blue wooden benches are aligned behind an Orange guard rail.
Facing the concession stand, to the left is the music booth, which contains a turntable, a cassette player and a reel-to-reel tape player. Remember this was in the 20th Century.
If it says 2002, then bank may have opened a branch there by 2003. Then The Rink at Bel Air owners had a renovation but smaller per code regulations and had three store slots in the new rink building which was supposed to appear like the original or attempted to be close to original. The Rink at Bel Air kept the tradition with this unique roof. Also the name "Rink."
Yelp says its closed, several links listed that rink but no other information. And a newspaper online listed that rink, in 2002. From 1952 to early 2000s. I would say 2002. Please correct me if I am wrong.
A well known roller dancer passed away was skating at home rink at Bel Air. See the obituary of Mary Ellen Bareham.
Apparently someone who owns and operates The Rink at Bel Air wanted to keep history alive with the arch roof and location had this rink built in 2007 and opened that year.
Clearly the building was pushed back by cutting back the front per zoning regulations (I am sure for making the road wider).
They also added a canopy as an "extension" of the roof.
Rink Size: 100' X 210' Floor: Michigan Maple Floor Layout: N/A
Building Size: N/A Built: N/A Demolished: Used as storage for materials for building bank next door, now a shopping plaza. (The Rink at Bel Air copied the appearance from the original but in slight smaller scale due to new strict codes requirements to be away from the road). Heavily renovated.
Type of Building: Free span Oak Trusses building. Interior Pine walls 2 inches thick. Cinderblock-walled, warehouse like.
Roof: Segmental Arch.
Acres: N/A
Operated: 1952 to c. 2002.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding everything. Exact dates of open, closed, why closed, Anything, plesae let me know at [email protected].
Sources: Bizapedia, Yelp, The Baltimore Sun, Obit of Mary Ellen Bareham,
The Baltimore Sun in 1993, Bel Air News and Views in 2007, The Historical Society of Harford County.
Updated: 20 March 2021. Updated again: 02 May 2021.
© Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved.
The Rink at Bel Air 1403 Conowingo Rd, Bel Air, MD (just a name, not a rink)
Bel-Air Roller Rink but also called Air Roller Rink but I think some sites had that mistake. It was according to Google Map, a Colonial-style two story building!? It is now a bank. But I think not as I put the yellow man on the map to see on street level and I found that there is a roller rink next door! It is called The Rink at Bel Air. Was that related or just happened to be an entirely new rink with no association with Bel - Air Roller Rink? Anybody? Was the old Bel Air on site where the bank is now? The Google Map got it all wrong. It was next door after all.
Now read on.. an update clears the fog.
UPDATE --
I received an email regarding this rink. There is a clarification for this reasoning--
I stumbled across your site while trying to find information on some various businesses that used to be around Bel Air in the 60's.
I am struggling to find any information on exact dates as far as when the Bel Air Roller Rink closed up, when construction started, etc. But I have lived here all my life, and although I'm not old enough to remember it in its prime, I do remember going there as a kid.
I don't think it was ever called Air Roller Rink, but I could be wrong. A 1966 Bel Air phone book lists it as Bel Air Roller Rink. I know Bel Air Roller Rink opened in 1952, and was in operation until the late 90's to early 2000's when it closed.
The building sat empty until around 2007. The interior was gutted, and was used as storage for construction materials and equipment for the 1'st Mariner Bank (now Howard Bank) next door. The bank is a new construction, built on what was an empty field / parking lot. After the Bank was completed, the old roller rink building was modified, moving the front of the building farther back from the road per local regulations. The side wall was moved inboard, leaving the roof in place, creating a covered walkway. "The Rink" is now a shopping center, with a Seasons Pizza up front, and a couple of other businesses on the side. [Very interesting story here]
MacKenzie Retail, LLC is who was in charge of the reconstruction, and did pretty much the same thing with the old Kunkel Service Company building at 331 Baltimore pike in Bel Air.
I'm sorry I don't have more information on the roller rink itself, but I hope this helps shed some light on the location and it's fate. [Sure did helpful, sir!]
There is not much story about Bel Air Roller Rink but I can say a little bit about the current rink, The Rink at Bel Air. This one really is one of the newest and most modern "rink" building I ever seen. Truly retain classic Arched-Curved roof called Segmental Arch but the appearance has very much modern look. The sign which is located on this part of the building that looked like a chimney and it is not. And it is also Arched-Curved. It is very Neo-Googie-ism style. It also has several businesses including a nail salon and another business as well as a local pizza shop. The pizza shop is located inside of the rink. So, that separate from the operations of the rink.
The rink is interesting one but I could not find that website of theirs! Still operational I believe but they need to have a website.
It was opened in 1952. It ran about 50 years. Charles Durham who was Maryland State Trooper living on a 222 acres farm in a 22 room Victorian style house as a bachelor built this Segmental Arch Roof roller rink for 150,000 US Dollars. (it would equal to over 1,460,213 USD in 2020 money). He was a bachelor all of his life. In 1996, someone else established the rink business as new owner apparently according in Bizapedia. Then folded in early 2000s.
It had 100 feet by 210 feet--one of the largest rinks around at the time. It had most expensive wood using Michigan Maple which was from Michigan. The walls were Knotty Pine which was popular in 1950s. Likely wainscoting style. I recalled seeing 1950s style walls in 1960s and 1970s as a child and teenager. Both the ticket booth and the office had those paneling.
The concession stand is on the left side. Two soda machines stand against the wall. They had at one time served hot dogs and hamburgers but now is limited to pizza, snack food items and candies.
There were Four rows of Light Blue wooden benches are aligned behind an Orange guard rail.
Facing the concession stand, to the left is the music booth, which contains a turntable, a cassette player and a reel-to-reel tape player. Remember this was in the 20th Century.
If it says 2002, then bank may have opened a branch there by 2003. Then The Rink at Bel Air owners had a renovation but smaller per code regulations and had three store slots in the new rink building which was supposed to appear like the original or attempted to be close to original. The Rink at Bel Air kept the tradition with this unique roof. Also the name "Rink."
Yelp says its closed, several links listed that rink but no other information. And a newspaper online listed that rink, in 2002. From 1952 to early 2000s. I would say 2002. Please correct me if I am wrong.
A well known roller dancer passed away was skating at home rink at Bel Air. See the obituary of Mary Ellen Bareham.
Apparently someone who owns and operates The Rink at Bel Air wanted to keep history alive with the arch roof and location had this rink built in 2007 and opened that year.
Clearly the building was pushed back by cutting back the front per zoning regulations (I am sure for making the road wider).
They also added a canopy as an "extension" of the roof.
Rink Size: 100' X 210' Floor: Michigan Maple Floor Layout: N/A
Building Size: N/A Built: N/A Demolished: Used as storage for materials for building bank next door, now a shopping plaza. (The Rink at Bel Air copied the appearance from the original but in slight smaller scale due to new strict codes requirements to be away from the road). Heavily renovated.
Type of Building: Free span Oak Trusses building. Interior Pine walls 2 inches thick. Cinderblock-walled, warehouse like.
Roof: Segmental Arch.
Acres: N/A
Operated: 1952 to c. 2002.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding everything. Exact dates of open, closed, why closed, Anything, plesae let me know at [email protected].
Sources: Bizapedia, Yelp, The Baltimore Sun, Obit of Mary Ellen Bareham,
The Baltimore Sun in 1993, Bel Air News and Views in 2007, The Historical Society of Harford County.
Updated: 20 March 2021. Updated again: 02 May 2021.
© Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved.