Courtesy of I Grew Up in website Only advertisment or media connected to the former rink
Courtesy of Billboard February 4, 1950. But somehow Carlo J. Ross did not give up the fight and got the rink in that area somehow. Must be he included the lawyer this time.
Courtesy of Billboard July 21, 1951. This showed it was a year and half later after the deny for a permit. This time, he won and got the rink opened on Saturday, July 14, 1951 starting with roller skating (see the schedule!) That the rink was opened for business.
Courtesy of Billboard, June 8, 1959. A lawsuit. Another typical lawsuit. Usually someone gets hurt when another skater skates into the fallen skater's head. Should we now start enforcing helmet wearing at rinks? Maybe for children yes. But this victim's age is not revealed.
Article courtesy of The Bridgeport Post, (December 3, 1964) with revision to "clean up" article by Dead-Rinks. A company called Amphenol - Borg wanted to lease the old rink for three years as they wanted to relocate form Mid-west to Connecticut. It is an electronic company. But...
Article courtesy of The Bridgeport Post, (February 16, 1965). Notice changes of location perhaps of objections from residents. Sound familiar. First they did not want the rink in 1950, then they did not want the company. Apparently showed us that town is not business friendly and not people friendly. Please folks, no rinks there ok? Just outside and it would be much better. Well, Connecticut is known for high taxes like NYS, Massachusetts, and Vermont.
Courtesy of The Bridgeport Post. The rink is back once again. For the last time.
Courtesy of The Bridgeport Post. Not a good time rolling with Danbury with another rejection. What is the town afraid of?
Candlewood Arena 7 East Hayestown Rd., Danbury, CT
Roll - Arena 7 East Hayestown Rd., Danbury, CT
Roll - Arena 7 East Hayestown Rd., Danbury, CT
Both Candlewood Arena and Roll - Arena were at this site on Hayestown Road in Danbury, Connecticut. I could not find the exact location but it has to be near the park. There are two parks.. baseball field park and lakeside park. It appeared to be on the ballpark side. Was it where the police department activity center is now or the bowling place is now held? Very good question. Likely by the baseball fields.
It is now housed a bowling place with a bar. They had other add-ons. But it is clear it was a rink. Thanks to measurement of height and the attic vent. I hope I did choose that is the location where the rink used to be. It is now that bowling center. Please correct me if I did choose wrong one.
It was originally opened in 1951 after it was planned to be opened in 1950 due to the town rejecting a construction permit. But he got the permit evidently as said in Billboard.
The original owner, Carlo J. Ross began operating the rink but he had other add on business partners including Joseph M and Frank A. Petriello.
The Bethal Park and Recreation was bringing back roller skating at the former Candlewood Arena according to the Bridgeport Post February 16, 1966. It was a sweetheart deal for the kids in the area as a belated Valentine's gift.
But apparently short lived and then another group that wanted to manage the former rink a teen center. Once again it was killed by the council. Very common to get rejection in that town. My advice, do not attempt any businesses with towns that hates business or anti-business. the American Northeast is very anti-business because of their stance on liberalism and communism. If socialism believe in everyone has a share of a business, they should allow businesses to be open for each one of them, not rejection. Socialism is about jealousy and not want anyone to be successful but only elites themselves. This is my humble beliefs. The evidences in this town is quite clear: Rejected a permit for a roller rink in 1950, then rejected an electronic company to set up shop there in 1964 then a teen center in 1974. I am sure they do have more rejections than you think it is.
Richard Pratt operated in the 1960s to 1970s version of the rink.
Anyone know what happened to the rink after 1975? This silence about the closing is mysteriously.
The Interior.
N/A.
However, today with expansion, the bar/restaurant sits to the right and the remodeled exterior skating section into bowling lanes. 16 lanes open, 6 private lanes to bowl. However, this is here the interesting history comes to mind. It is still old school bowling because you still have to do manual scoring, and step on a pedel to flush pins to start a new set of pins. There is even switches as well. The bowling balls are not your standard bowling that ABC back then has for regulations (now its USBC) but this place is perhaps not associated with USBC because the balls are smaller and lanes are bit smaller. Pins too are smaller from my understanding having worked for USBC when they were in Syracuse, NY.
It is a real nice old school bowling center. Real metal return ball covers. Everything as I can see the machines, it looks like 1950s. They expanded adding to the right of the building and new admission door to the bar/restaurant as the former rink now as a bowling alley with 16 lanes with 6 private lanes. This is truly old school bowing center. Sometimes bowling houses buys old refinished equipment for their facility. There are a couple or three different companies that buys old bowling houses' machines and balls and pins and refinish them and sell them. You should see how beautiful those refinished classic things. Just kind of like you buy an old 1965 Mustang or a 1957 Chevy and you want to rebuilt and make it as a show car. Same thing. I have feeling this is what they done there since 1975 when the rink finally closed for good.
The Exterior.
It was a regular Gable building housed for roller rink. Appeared to be White walled, with cafe style front where you can sit outside with tables and chairs and umbrella, a rare sight for a roller rink even back to its days. Did they also served cafe food and drinks like any other cafes? Its possible but we do not know.
This rink had the name quite small on the wall above the main doors as seen in the photo compared to the big sign saying ROLLER SKATING on it. I believe it was neon lights for skaters to see at night where this once beloved rink was held.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: Renovated in 1975 into bowling house and bar/restaurant..
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss (?) Wood or Cinderblock-Walled House - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: July 14, 1951 to December 1963, June 1966 to 1975.
Candlewood Arena: July 14, 1951 to December 1963.
Roll-Arena: June 1966 to 1975.
Reason for Closure:
Candlewood Arena: N/A.
Roll-Arena: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding actual dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos.
Anyone has pictures and/or information please let me know at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: I Grew Up In - a blogger; Billboard - Feb 4, 1950; Billboard - July 21, 1951; Billboard - June 8, 1959;
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.
It is now housed a bowling place with a bar. They had other add-ons. But it is clear it was a rink. Thanks to measurement of height and the attic vent. I hope I did choose that is the location where the rink used to be. It is now that bowling center. Please correct me if I did choose wrong one.
It was originally opened in 1951 after it was planned to be opened in 1950 due to the town rejecting a construction permit. But he got the permit evidently as said in Billboard.
The original owner, Carlo J. Ross began operating the rink but he had other add on business partners including Joseph M and Frank A. Petriello.
The Bethal Park and Recreation was bringing back roller skating at the former Candlewood Arena according to the Bridgeport Post February 16, 1966. It was a sweetheart deal for the kids in the area as a belated Valentine's gift.
But apparently short lived and then another group that wanted to manage the former rink a teen center. Once again it was killed by the council. Very common to get rejection in that town. My advice, do not attempt any businesses with towns that hates business or anti-business. the American Northeast is very anti-business because of their stance on liberalism and communism. If socialism believe in everyone has a share of a business, they should allow businesses to be open for each one of them, not rejection. Socialism is about jealousy and not want anyone to be successful but only elites themselves. This is my humble beliefs. The evidences in this town is quite clear: Rejected a permit for a roller rink in 1950, then rejected an electronic company to set up shop there in 1964 then a teen center in 1974. I am sure they do have more rejections than you think it is.
Richard Pratt operated in the 1960s to 1970s version of the rink.
Anyone know what happened to the rink after 1975? This silence about the closing is mysteriously.
The Interior.
N/A.
However, today with expansion, the bar/restaurant sits to the right and the remodeled exterior skating section into bowling lanes. 16 lanes open, 6 private lanes to bowl. However, this is here the interesting history comes to mind. It is still old school bowling because you still have to do manual scoring, and step on a pedel to flush pins to start a new set of pins. There is even switches as well. The bowling balls are not your standard bowling that ABC back then has for regulations (now its USBC) but this place is perhaps not associated with USBC because the balls are smaller and lanes are bit smaller. Pins too are smaller from my understanding having worked for USBC when they were in Syracuse, NY.
It is a real nice old school bowling center. Real metal return ball covers. Everything as I can see the machines, it looks like 1950s. They expanded adding to the right of the building and new admission door to the bar/restaurant as the former rink now as a bowling alley with 16 lanes with 6 private lanes. This is truly old school bowing center. Sometimes bowling houses buys old refinished equipment for their facility. There are a couple or three different companies that buys old bowling houses' machines and balls and pins and refinish them and sell them. You should see how beautiful those refinished classic things. Just kind of like you buy an old 1965 Mustang or a 1957 Chevy and you want to rebuilt and make it as a show car. Same thing. I have feeling this is what they done there since 1975 when the rink finally closed for good.
The Exterior.
It was a regular Gable building housed for roller rink. Appeared to be White walled, with cafe style front where you can sit outside with tables and chairs and umbrella, a rare sight for a roller rink even back to its days. Did they also served cafe food and drinks like any other cafes? Its possible but we do not know.
This rink had the name quite small on the wall above the main doors as seen in the photo compared to the big sign saying ROLLER SKATING on it. I believe it was neon lights for skaters to see at night where this once beloved rink was held.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: Renovated in 1975 into bowling house and bar/restaurant..
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss (?) Wood or Cinderblock-Walled House - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: July 14, 1951 to December 1963, June 1966 to 1975.
Candlewood Arena: July 14, 1951 to December 1963.
Roll-Arena: June 1966 to 1975.
Reason for Closure:
Candlewood Arena: N/A.
Roll-Arena: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding actual dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos.
Anyone has pictures and/or information please let me know at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: I Grew Up In - a blogger; Billboard - Feb 4, 1950; Billboard - July 21, 1951; Billboard - June 8, 1959;
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.