Columbia Skateland 6388 Studer Dr NW, Dover, OH. The sign leading to the rink. Google Map in 2013 showed no sign. Source: Columbia Skateland Facebook.
Columbia Skateland 6388 Studer Dr NW, Dover, OH. Taken in around 1965 after the rink was originally updated under the Columbia Skateland banner by adding new name on it and perhaps new coat of paint. The appearance was exact as it was in 1926. Source: Columbia Skateland Facebook. Photo remastered by Dead-Rinks (removed torn holes and spots).
Columbia Skateland 6388 Studer Dr NW, Dover, OH. Taken in around 1978 to show before the renovations began. The appearance was changed slightly in 1978 if you can notice the extension of the roof in front part of the building in the photograph. And new landscape windows. Source: Columbia Skateland Facebook.
Columbia Skateland 6388 Studer Dr NW, Dover, OH. Taken in around 1979-80 tThe front and the sides were being gutted but leaving the rink section alone. They made it larger in the front and the sides. Source: Columbia Skateland Facebook.
Columbia Skateland 6388 Studer Dr NW, Dover, OH. Taken in 1980 after the rink building being rebuilt. The new rebuilt was the new extension for the bathrooms, lobby, and the concession stand. It appeared larger than the original above. And better looking because of clean lines than the original which had sections was totally mis-match. Source: Columbia Skateland Facebook. Photo resized by Dead-Rinks (originally it was a photo of a photo so I chopped out the table around the photo and focus on the photo. This is why it appeared a bit of an angle.)
Columbia Skateland 6388 Studer Dr NW, Dover, OH. Beautiful interior! Wow! The owner designed and had this done with a whole new concept for the Starburst Lights! Wow. Bit of a Spider going on here on the ceiling. Yes, mirrors were on the wall in the rear. Source: Columbia Skateland Facebook.
Studer’s Skating Rink 6388 Studer Drive NW, Dover, OH
Columbia Skateland 6388 Studer Drive NW, Dover, OH
Columbia Skateland 6388 Studer Drive NW, Dover, OH
Studer's Skating Rink and Columbia Skateland were hidden on the edge of the thick of the forest at 6388 Studer Drive North West, Dover, Ohio. It was on the dead-end road as if you were driving to it. This rink as Columbia operated for just over 50 years. Quietly went out of business.
Before that, it was Studer's Skating Rink that was built and opened in around 1926. They even had dances as well as roller skating.
I do not have the date of closure but it was in more recent times. Facebook was showing the last date entry was December 1, 2018.
In 1963, Virginia and Walter Turnbull purchased Studer's Skating Rink. They saw in an ad that was for sale after Walter had an heart attack that time. When they got there, no one was there then came back and the rest was made history.
In 2013, at the age of 93, Virginia was still the owner and operated the rink. Her husband, Walter died in 1988. They were known as mom and pop to many customers, and had two children, five grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Skaters on Facebook mentioned "Mom" which referred to Virginia.
The business has three long-time employees, Martha Wade of Strasburg; Dave Brown of New Philadelphia; and Mike Swartzentruber of Beach City.
This was a real tight family oriented and family owned rink quite clearly. It was quite unique especially the interior design.
I could not find any obituary for Virginia Turnbull so was she still alive as in 2021? That would make her 101 years old! But by the way of Facebook posting and the real estate, it has to be closed and perhaps retired.
The real estate websites were showing just the house with 25.5 Acres. The 1500 +/- Square Feet house has 4 bedrooms and a single bath and was built in 1930. I believe that was the owners' house that they owned the rink. It has been on the market but sold. Clearly they did not include the building. Google Map only showed it was in 2013. Whatever happened to it? Anyone?
UPDATE! -- 04 March 2022.
I receive a very lengthy email from a skater who skated at this rink. Here is what he has to say. It is edited for this site --
I came across your article on Columbia Skateland in Dover, Ohio.
While I do not have any photos of the rink anymore but I did find some online you didn't have in your article. I can tell you some more information on the rink. (Aww, shucks! I would love those photos if you did not want. Oh well. what happened to it?)
I spent my entire childhood Saturday nights and sometimes on Friday nights there. That was the [19]90s.
I started skating there in 1987 at the age of 5. But, [at the age of]14, I had my own custom skates that "mom" (Virginia Turnbull) helped me learn to lace them up. They were much different than the rental skates you could get for an extra dollar upon entry. At the time it was 6 [US D]ollars with your own skates or not skating at all and 7 [USD] if you needed to rent skates.
They sold pom-poms that you could lace into the toe of your skates. We all would often buy glow sticks and tie them to the frame of the wheels so that our skates would glow.
Mom was there religiously every weekend, and sometimes she would even lace up and skate with us. She would have been in her late 70s- early 80s then.
In the [19]60s-late [19]70s, there was a bus they had that would pick up skaters who otherwise couldn't get their parents to bring them. They would even take them back home. My own mom told me all you had to do was call the rink and tell them where you needed picked up at. There was no charge for the bus rides.
I hadn't skated since 2003 but in 2015, I had the pleasure of taking my 5 year old daughter and 4 year old son there. After all the years of not going, "mom" remembered me right off the rip, telling me how sorry she was for the loss of my mother and what a great woman she was. She couldn't believe I had gotten married and had two littles of my own. I was 33 then.
Mom helped me get the correct size skates for my daughter cuz the ones I said she needed were too big. She even laced them up for her.
She called my son a total natural because he picked it up and went around all by himself.
The rink was exactly as I'd remembered it from my childhood. The awesome lights, the smells, the wood floor where inline skates were absolutely prohibited there. Everything was the same.
They even still played the same skating games as I remembered. The corner game, the bucket spread where you skated till you couldn't no more over the bucket line, and the limbo. All skate, couples skate, speed skate, children only skate.
The whole place was just like it was in the [19]90s.
They had an awesome old school video arcade section with 4 [foosball] tables, an air hockey table and at least 10 video arcades from Donkey Kong to Galaga, Ms. Pac-Man, and several others.
Sadly, Mom did pass away in 2018. They had plans to remodel and reopen the rink but it never happened after she passed away. (Aww, that is why I saw the remodel but nothing heard about after that. Now that made sense.)
I think she was 97 and it was just after her birthday party.
I did find some photos online, one being of mom's birthday, and one of the whole staff along with one showing the bucket spread game and the limbo.
I will include those in this email.
I apologize for it being such a long email but I wanted to give you as much information as I could on the rink.
Thank you for writing about it and making me smile at the old hang out. I sure do miss it and I'm saddened that my kids don't get to enjoy it anymore the way I did growing up.
Sure is a long email! Thank you so much! Some more information really helpeful like what happened to the rink after the remodel. Nothing heard about it after the remodel. Clearly made sense that the operator passed away. Sad. I can see its a beautiful rink and very creative with the remodel as I saw in that one picture how she did with the ceiling and the Starburst lights. No rinks had that look like that.
The Interior.
I do not know what the original was like but it was quite clear the style they had. Tongue and Groove Pine Wood paneling on the walls which echo the style of 1950s and 60s as Country theme of its time. They had non-painted, Coated, Log Cabin layout Maple Wood floor. The railing itself was X-Crossed and made of wood. Pretty much entire place was wood. Very.. Barn rink like. Well, almost..
The renovation in 1980 brought more modern appearance inside and very unique. This should win the best creative on the ceiling with those Starburst lights with diamond ball. I cannot describe it as you have to see the picture to understand. A picture they say is worth a 1000 words. So, no rinks I know so far had this appearance to make it more 3D. Sure, there was a rink that made Starburst lights like a spider. I am sorry I could not recall which (remember I have done almost 3000 rinks and hard to remember which). I think it was a Carousel Skate rink out in Mid-west somewhere that has that design. This one really made it an S-Z platform. That highlighted the whole place. Congrats on creativity, the Turnbulls. It really lighted up well in this beloved rink that everyone called the couple, Mom and Dad. A true classic Mom-and-Pop business.
The lobby-concession stand-restrooms were gutted in 1980 and rebuilt them entirely.
The Exterior.
The original was of course, a barn-like building with all wood structure but a total renovation took out lobby, concession stand, and of course, the restrooms. That was the front part, not the entire place. Of course, it was a total rebuilt but totally gutted the front entirely and had it rebuilt. They must have forgotten to include the photo of rebuilt after it was done.
Unfortunately Google Map failed to drive all the way up that long stretch of drive way to show the rink.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Non-paint, urethane coated, Maple wood. Floor Layout: Step Log Cabin.
Building Size: N/A. Built/Renovation: 1926/1980. Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Barn Pole Wood Trusses Wood-Walled Barn - like Building (original) Warehouse-like (1980 on)
Roof: Gable (Current).
Acres: 25.5 AC.
Operated: (Overall)-- c. 1926 to 1 December 2018.
Studer’s Skating Rink: c.1926 to 1962(?).
Columbia Skateland: February 1963 to 01 December 2018.
Reason for Closure:
Studer’s Skating Rink: N/A.
Columbia Skateland: Owner passed away forcing to close. it was just remodelled!
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources:
Times Reporter Ohio - 50th Anniversary in 2013. (PDF) Feb 9, 2013.
Times Reporter Ohio - 50th Anniversary in 2013. (Link). Feb 9, 2013
Times Reporter Ohio - Rolling right along. Sep 23, 2009. (Link).
Times Reporter Ohio - Rolling right along. Sep 23, 2009. (PDF).
RedFin - Real Estate.
Zillow - Real Estate.
Realtor - Real Estate.
Facebook - Columbia Skateland.
Email - M.B. - 04 March 2022.
Worth to visit?
No due to private property. Farm/country area.
DISCLAIMER:
Dead-Rinks and Mark Falso are not responsible for your physical and legal injuries you may have caused. Please always obey laws and regulations and property owner's signs. Some states allow purple paint on fence which means they even have guns on their property and have rights to shoot you. Please DO NOT attempt to enter property without permission!
For abandoned rinks, after you receive permission, do WEAR safety OSHA equipment including a safety glasses, pair of safety gloves, an orange vest or a jacket, and a construction helmet.
Thank you for understanding.
Date of issue: 13 July 2021.
Updated: 04 March 2022.
For office use only: 6 ps.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.
Before that, it was Studer's Skating Rink that was built and opened in around 1926. They even had dances as well as roller skating.
I do not have the date of closure but it was in more recent times. Facebook was showing the last date entry was December 1, 2018.
In 1963, Virginia and Walter Turnbull purchased Studer's Skating Rink. They saw in an ad that was for sale after Walter had an heart attack that time. When they got there, no one was there then came back and the rest was made history.
In 2013, at the age of 93, Virginia was still the owner and operated the rink. Her husband, Walter died in 1988. They were known as mom and pop to many customers, and had two children, five grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Skaters on Facebook mentioned "Mom" which referred to Virginia.
The business has three long-time employees, Martha Wade of Strasburg; Dave Brown of New Philadelphia; and Mike Swartzentruber of Beach City.
This was a real tight family oriented and family owned rink quite clearly. It was quite unique especially the interior design.
I could not find any obituary for Virginia Turnbull so was she still alive as in 2021? That would make her 101 years old! But by the way of Facebook posting and the real estate, it has to be closed and perhaps retired.
The real estate websites were showing just the house with 25.5 Acres. The 1500 +/- Square Feet house has 4 bedrooms and a single bath and was built in 1930. I believe that was the owners' house that they owned the rink. It has been on the market but sold. Clearly they did not include the building. Google Map only showed it was in 2013. Whatever happened to it? Anyone?
UPDATE! -- 04 March 2022.
I receive a very lengthy email from a skater who skated at this rink. Here is what he has to say. It is edited for this site --
I came across your article on Columbia Skateland in Dover, Ohio.
While I do not have any photos of the rink anymore but I did find some online you didn't have in your article. I can tell you some more information on the rink. (Aww, shucks! I would love those photos if you did not want. Oh well. what happened to it?)
I spent my entire childhood Saturday nights and sometimes on Friday nights there. That was the [19]90s.
I started skating there in 1987 at the age of 5. But, [at the age of]14, I had my own custom skates that "mom" (Virginia Turnbull) helped me learn to lace them up. They were much different than the rental skates you could get for an extra dollar upon entry. At the time it was 6 [US D]ollars with your own skates or not skating at all and 7 [USD] if you needed to rent skates.
They sold pom-poms that you could lace into the toe of your skates. We all would often buy glow sticks and tie them to the frame of the wheels so that our skates would glow.
Mom was there religiously every weekend, and sometimes she would even lace up and skate with us. She would have been in her late 70s- early 80s then.
In the [19]60s-late [19]70s, there was a bus they had that would pick up skaters who otherwise couldn't get their parents to bring them. They would even take them back home. My own mom told me all you had to do was call the rink and tell them where you needed picked up at. There was no charge for the bus rides.
I hadn't skated since 2003 but in 2015, I had the pleasure of taking my 5 year old daughter and 4 year old son there. After all the years of not going, "mom" remembered me right off the rip, telling me how sorry she was for the loss of my mother and what a great woman she was. She couldn't believe I had gotten married and had two littles of my own. I was 33 then.
Mom helped me get the correct size skates for my daughter cuz the ones I said she needed were too big. She even laced them up for her.
She called my son a total natural because he picked it up and went around all by himself.
The rink was exactly as I'd remembered it from my childhood. The awesome lights, the smells, the wood floor where inline skates were absolutely prohibited there. Everything was the same.
They even still played the same skating games as I remembered. The corner game, the bucket spread where you skated till you couldn't no more over the bucket line, and the limbo. All skate, couples skate, speed skate, children only skate.
The whole place was just like it was in the [19]90s.
They had an awesome old school video arcade section with 4 [foosball] tables, an air hockey table and at least 10 video arcades from Donkey Kong to Galaga, Ms. Pac-Man, and several others.
Sadly, Mom did pass away in 2018. They had plans to remodel and reopen the rink but it never happened after she passed away. (Aww, that is why I saw the remodel but nothing heard about after that. Now that made sense.)
I think she was 97 and it was just after her birthday party.
I did find some photos online, one being of mom's birthday, and one of the whole staff along with one showing the bucket spread game and the limbo.
I will include those in this email.
I apologize for it being such a long email but I wanted to give you as much information as I could on the rink.
Thank you for writing about it and making me smile at the old hang out. I sure do miss it and I'm saddened that my kids don't get to enjoy it anymore the way I did growing up.
Sure is a long email! Thank you so much! Some more information really helpeful like what happened to the rink after the remodel. Nothing heard about it after the remodel. Clearly made sense that the operator passed away. Sad. I can see its a beautiful rink and very creative with the remodel as I saw in that one picture how she did with the ceiling and the Starburst lights. No rinks had that look like that.
The Interior.
I do not know what the original was like but it was quite clear the style they had. Tongue and Groove Pine Wood paneling on the walls which echo the style of 1950s and 60s as Country theme of its time. They had non-painted, Coated, Log Cabin layout Maple Wood floor. The railing itself was X-Crossed and made of wood. Pretty much entire place was wood. Very.. Barn rink like. Well, almost..
The renovation in 1980 brought more modern appearance inside and very unique. This should win the best creative on the ceiling with those Starburst lights with diamond ball. I cannot describe it as you have to see the picture to understand. A picture they say is worth a 1000 words. So, no rinks I know so far had this appearance to make it more 3D. Sure, there was a rink that made Starburst lights like a spider. I am sorry I could not recall which (remember I have done almost 3000 rinks and hard to remember which). I think it was a Carousel Skate rink out in Mid-west somewhere that has that design. This one really made it an S-Z platform. That highlighted the whole place. Congrats on creativity, the Turnbulls. It really lighted up well in this beloved rink that everyone called the couple, Mom and Dad. A true classic Mom-and-Pop business.
The lobby-concession stand-restrooms were gutted in 1980 and rebuilt them entirely.
The Exterior.
The original was of course, a barn-like building with all wood structure but a total renovation took out lobby, concession stand, and of course, the restrooms. That was the front part, not the entire place. Of course, it was a total rebuilt but totally gutted the front entirely and had it rebuilt. They must have forgotten to include the photo of rebuilt after it was done.
Unfortunately Google Map failed to drive all the way up that long stretch of drive way to show the rink.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Non-paint, urethane coated, Maple wood. Floor Layout: Step Log Cabin.
Building Size: N/A. Built/Renovation: 1926/1980. Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Barn Pole Wood Trusses Wood-Walled Barn - like Building (original) Warehouse-like (1980 on)
Roof: Gable (Current).
Acres: 25.5 AC.
Operated: (Overall)-- c. 1926 to 1 December 2018.
Studer’s Skating Rink: c.1926 to 1962(?).
Columbia Skateland: February 1963 to 01 December 2018.
Reason for Closure:
Studer’s Skating Rink: N/A.
Columbia Skateland: Owner passed away forcing to close. it was just remodelled!
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources:
Times Reporter Ohio - 50th Anniversary in 2013. (PDF) Feb 9, 2013.
Times Reporter Ohio - 50th Anniversary in 2013. (Link). Feb 9, 2013
Times Reporter Ohio - Rolling right along. Sep 23, 2009. (Link).
Times Reporter Ohio - Rolling right along. Sep 23, 2009. (PDF).
RedFin - Real Estate.
Zillow - Real Estate.
Realtor - Real Estate.
Facebook - Columbia Skateland.
Email - M.B. - 04 March 2022.
Worth to visit?
No due to private property. Farm/country area.
DISCLAIMER:
Dead-Rinks and Mark Falso are not responsible for your physical and legal injuries you may have caused. Please always obey laws and regulations and property owner's signs. Some states allow purple paint on fence which means they even have guns on their property and have rights to shoot you. Please DO NOT attempt to enter property without permission!
For abandoned rinks, after you receive permission, do WEAR safety OSHA equipment including a safety glasses, pair of safety gloves, an orange vest or a jacket, and a construction helmet.
Thank you for understanding.
Date of issue: 13 July 2021.
Updated: 04 March 2022.
For office use only: 6 ps.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.