Logo courtesy of Arkansas Skatium. This is the current rink running since Little Rock Skating Arena. It sure does look very.. never mind. You can see what I mean.
Above two are courtesy of Google Map. Top to bottom- 2011 and 2017. See how it evolved from 2000s trendy blue look and now, the Graying of America look with Brown and Red just like any fast food restaurants, a national wide diner chain, and God knows what else.
Courtesy of Arkansas Skatium. It is an ice rink with the stadium seating benches seen in the photo. Those are what you can see that from outside that it was molded into when they build this.
Bottom two courtesy of Fans through Four Square. You can see the parquet.
Little Rock Skating Arena 1311 S Bowman Rd, Little Rock, AR
Skate City 1311 S Bowman Rd, Little Rock, AR
Arkansas Skatium* 1311 S Bowman Rd, Little Rock, AR
*Still operational.
Skate City 1311 S Bowman Rd, Little Rock, AR
Arkansas Skatium* 1311 S Bowman Rd, Little Rock, AR
*Still operational.
Little Rock Skating Arena 1311 S Bowman Rd, Little Rock, Arkansas was running before the current duel-rink Arkansas Skatium which is still operational. Skate City was also running as well but that one hardly information at all. It is a two rink facility involving with a roller rink and ice rink. Only the ice rink is a stadium and the roller rink is just a rink like any other roller rink without stands that the ice rink has.
Perhaps Little Rock Skating Arena and Skate City was established before it became Arkansas Skatium which began since 1979 according to its website.
Please support your local rink such as Arkansas Skatium! Unusual roller rink floor!
I am disappointed in their focus in their business model. According to the website, I see only ICE rink coaches. No Rollersports certified coaches. I HIGHLY recommend they encourage skaters to also try out roller figure skating, roller dance, Roller Disco, roller jam, Roller Derby, and roller couple skating. From what I see, they seem to focus more on Ice and less on roller by seeing their social media including Facebook, Four Square, and more. Their Weebly website which is outdated as it says in 2014 even not mention much on roller skating.
Now you see the problem? Ice skating seem to snub on roller skating everywhere. So, folks who are living near Arkansas Skatium, please inform the admission ticket attendant or even ask that attendant you want to speak with the manager to inquire about having roller skating lessons in specific field and have highly qualified Rollersports coach to teach plus other coaches. Ask the Roller Derby team if they can teach as well. If the manager soft sell no to you, start a petition! You can hire a professional yourself with others and then all go in the rink together and learn. Ask for a schedule time and date when there are no sessions and be glad to pay for the usage every week.
The Interior.
The most interesting thing about the rink is that they have parquet floor! I only know at least two other rinks so far has that pattern. It is not an excellent choice to use for a rink because with age and humidity and how it was designed, it will give a wooden roller coaster feel on skates when you skate on it. All that rumbling. Kind of like your age old cracking paved road or parking lot.
The ice had stands all around on both side with standard Ice hockey rink with all that hockey lines and circles and goals but the roller rink, no stands, all parquet floor. The feel is very different. Ice has feeling of huge complex and feel of bigness because of height of celling, with stands.. Roller does not have anything like that.
The Exterior.
It is a two part building with one parallels with the road and the other 90 degrees differently which is the roller rink. The bigger building is the ice rink. It is an L shaped complex that actually separates the two main focuses-the roller rink in the smaller building and the ice rink in the bigger stadium-like building. The evidence of stadium-like was shown the fact from outside you can see how the stands are like inside from outside above the main doors.
The rink is in smaller, shorter part of the complex because it has no stands for fans to watch like the ice rink version does. It is sad in my opinion that it has NO stands compared to ice. Ice rinks if it was in a competition is winning left and right as roller rinks and roller skating is not keeping up the same momentum as it is to ice rinks. Rinks are not doing well. Used to be 7,000 roller rinks at one time as ice rinks at 800 now its 8000 ice rinks and roller rinks with 800 rinks. Ice already added stands in new complexes but where are the stands for roller rinks? Same problems for Olympics not accepting Roller Skating but ice skating does. Not fair. Well, not to worry skaters, Olympics are having hard time as it is declining due to televisions, financial burden, etc.
They had colors on the building throughout the years since 1979 and perhaps before that. But in 2000s, they had the popular colors of Blues and now, they are following the popularity of Greying of America with much grey and they painted over the stones! I like it natural. What if they will change color and its all back to natural again, too late to undo the painting on rocks. It was decorative part on both rink buildings. It had Fieldstone for the walls especially by admission while rest are Steel-sheet metal walls. Photos will show you and explain the style changes with colors to follow the trends.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Clear coated Maple (Roller rink); Ice (Ice rink). Floor Layout: Parquet (Roller); standard hockey size (Ice rink).
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: Still Standing.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: N/A to present.
Little Rock Skating Arena: N/A.
Skate City: N/A.
Arkansas Skatium: 1979 to present.
Reason for Closure:
Little Rock Skating Arena: N/A.
Skate City: N/A.
Arkansas Skatium: STILL operational!
Wanted: Information regarding actual date of open, closed, why closed, size of rink Also photos of rink and pre 2005.
Anyone has pictures and/or information please let me know at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Four Square - Arkansas Skatium, Arkansas.com, Arkansas weebly, Yelp - Arkansas Skatium,
YouTube Video, Facebook - Arkansas Skatium,
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. God Matters. Jn 3:16.
Perhaps Little Rock Skating Arena and Skate City was established before it became Arkansas Skatium which began since 1979 according to its website.
Please support your local rink such as Arkansas Skatium! Unusual roller rink floor!
I am disappointed in their focus in their business model. According to the website, I see only ICE rink coaches. No Rollersports certified coaches. I HIGHLY recommend they encourage skaters to also try out roller figure skating, roller dance, Roller Disco, roller jam, Roller Derby, and roller couple skating. From what I see, they seem to focus more on Ice and less on roller by seeing their social media including Facebook, Four Square, and more. Their Weebly website which is outdated as it says in 2014 even not mention much on roller skating.
Now you see the problem? Ice skating seem to snub on roller skating everywhere. So, folks who are living near Arkansas Skatium, please inform the admission ticket attendant or even ask that attendant you want to speak with the manager to inquire about having roller skating lessons in specific field and have highly qualified Rollersports coach to teach plus other coaches. Ask the Roller Derby team if they can teach as well. If the manager soft sell no to you, start a petition! You can hire a professional yourself with others and then all go in the rink together and learn. Ask for a schedule time and date when there are no sessions and be glad to pay for the usage every week.
The Interior.
The most interesting thing about the rink is that they have parquet floor! I only know at least two other rinks so far has that pattern. It is not an excellent choice to use for a rink because with age and humidity and how it was designed, it will give a wooden roller coaster feel on skates when you skate on it. All that rumbling. Kind of like your age old cracking paved road or parking lot.
The ice had stands all around on both side with standard Ice hockey rink with all that hockey lines and circles and goals but the roller rink, no stands, all parquet floor. The feel is very different. Ice has feeling of huge complex and feel of bigness because of height of celling, with stands.. Roller does not have anything like that.
The Exterior.
It is a two part building with one parallels with the road and the other 90 degrees differently which is the roller rink. The bigger building is the ice rink. It is an L shaped complex that actually separates the two main focuses-the roller rink in the smaller building and the ice rink in the bigger stadium-like building. The evidence of stadium-like was shown the fact from outside you can see how the stands are like inside from outside above the main doors.
The rink is in smaller, shorter part of the complex because it has no stands for fans to watch like the ice rink version does. It is sad in my opinion that it has NO stands compared to ice. Ice rinks if it was in a competition is winning left and right as roller rinks and roller skating is not keeping up the same momentum as it is to ice rinks. Rinks are not doing well. Used to be 7,000 roller rinks at one time as ice rinks at 800 now its 8000 ice rinks and roller rinks with 800 rinks. Ice already added stands in new complexes but where are the stands for roller rinks? Same problems for Olympics not accepting Roller Skating but ice skating does. Not fair. Well, not to worry skaters, Olympics are having hard time as it is declining due to televisions, financial burden, etc.
They had colors on the building throughout the years since 1979 and perhaps before that. But in 2000s, they had the popular colors of Blues and now, they are following the popularity of Greying of America with much grey and they painted over the stones! I like it natural. What if they will change color and its all back to natural again, too late to undo the painting on rocks. It was decorative part on both rink buildings. It had Fieldstone for the walls especially by admission while rest are Steel-sheet metal walls. Photos will show you and explain the style changes with colors to follow the trends.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Clear coated Maple (Roller rink); Ice (Ice rink). Floor Layout: Parquet (Roller); standard hockey size (Ice rink).
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: Still Standing.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: N/A to present.
Little Rock Skating Arena: N/A.
Skate City: N/A.
Arkansas Skatium: 1979 to present.
Reason for Closure:
Little Rock Skating Arena: N/A.
Skate City: N/A.
Arkansas Skatium: STILL operational!
Wanted: Information regarding actual date of open, closed, why closed, size of rink Also photos of rink and pre 2005.
Anyone has pictures and/or information please let me know at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Four Square - Arkansas Skatium, Arkansas.com, Arkansas weebly, Yelp - Arkansas Skatium,
YouTube Video, Facebook - Arkansas Skatium,
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. God Matters. Jn 3:16.