New Wal-Cliffe Roller Skating Rink, Johnson Avenue, Elmont, New York. Source: Daily News Saturday 10 February 1979.
New Wal-Cliffe Roller Skating Rink, Johnson Avenue, Elmont, New York
This is the second life of Wal-Cliffe (see the first Wal-Clifee here). This rink was reborn like a phoenix rises from the ashes. They reopened with much fanfare that the RSROA officials came for this black-tie event with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Likely they had big names there at the rink to celebrate reopening.
The rink was revitalized after that quick fire that caused the roof to collapse and burned the rink stubbornly in 1959...but the owners and investors along with fans gave much support to rebuilt the rink. The second life, unfortunately, has no photos of the rink itself and the building. That was the sad part however, you will see the squeal, the third life, you will see it has been heavily remodeled to resembled a castle.
According to the fire of Roller Castle, the roof was curved arch complex similar to the original that burned down. The building looked bigger than the original. This is perhaps why the layout included a walk around the rink was added compared to the original rink. Taller too.
Anyway, the reopening occurred in a year but no date was available. It was explained in SKATE magazine January 1961 article with photos that it was grand reopening. So, it was reopened in 1060. It takes a month for a magazine organize and print and deliver to mailboxes and stores for that month so it has to be September to November 1960 when they had their reopening. Clearly either rebuilt or had another location and built quickly.
For a rink that size, likely they were quick to rebuilt and opened that September to November 1960 perhaps with a large number of construction crews.
This time around, only one same owner from the original rink. There were quite a bit of operators/owners of the rink between 1960 and 1980 when it closed up for good. They perhaps either retired and someone bought out and the rink continued to operated. We do not know.
They even held state championship and United States Northeast Skating Championship in 1972. They had a large event. it was a elimination event.
However, they closed up shop in 1980 for some reason. The rink was originally made for organ music and those generations with figure skating, roller ballroom, etc. Not the young kids and teens regularly skates with DJ music. Likely that would be the next generation of Wal-Cliffe called Roller Castle. a huge departure from Wal-Cliffe.
Architecturally, I have no idea what it looked like. Only those pictures of the Grand Reopening in Skate magazine but the videos, while it is poor quality and darkened, the building looked very similar to the original rink. big rink likely the same size as a hockey rink and it was not touching the walls like the original did on one side (if you watch youtube video, you will noticed in background says "Refreshments" and look on the left wall. You will noticed competitors and fans watching skaters compete. The original Wal-Cliffe did not have rails on that side. Clearly it was bigger building to make it easier for skaters, fans, and judges and coaches walk around better on either side. The appearance looked very similar to the original that has those emergency exit doors! They even had it open for the competition. It was in late June and early July for this competition. The sign refreshment was a boost than the original. This might be because the lounge in the original were eliminated in its planning stages. It was identical for the rink and building itself though.
We do not know why they went out of business in 1980.
Rink Size: 78 X 190 Floor: Maple Wood Rink Floor Layout: Fan
Building Size: Larger than first building, N/A Built: N/A Demolished: (As Roller Castle, destroyed by fire in 1980)
Type of Building: Free Span Steel Building.
Roof: Gable?
Acres: Likely 3 acres
Operated: Fall 1960 to 1980 (exact date is unknown)
Wanted: Photos of the rink interior and exterior. Information of why they went out of business.
Sources:
YouTube A
YouTube B,
Skate magazine, January 1961. Also their 1972 U.S. Northeast Skating Championship Elimination event (PDF)
Daily News - Saturday 10 February 1979. Received this ad from Facebook Messenger.
Date of Issue: January 2019. Update: 22 January 2022.
For Office Only: 1.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. John 3:3-17.
This is the second life of Wal-Cliffe (see the first Wal-Clifee here). This rink was reborn like a phoenix rises from the ashes. They reopened with much fanfare that the RSROA officials came for this black-tie event with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Likely they had big names there at the rink to celebrate reopening.
The rink was revitalized after that quick fire that caused the roof to collapse and burned the rink stubbornly in 1959...but the owners and investors along with fans gave much support to rebuilt the rink. The second life, unfortunately, has no photos of the rink itself and the building. That was the sad part however, you will see the squeal, the third life, you will see it has been heavily remodeled to resembled a castle.
According to the fire of Roller Castle, the roof was curved arch complex similar to the original that burned down. The building looked bigger than the original. This is perhaps why the layout included a walk around the rink was added compared to the original rink. Taller too.
Anyway, the reopening occurred in a year but no date was available. It was explained in SKATE magazine January 1961 article with photos that it was grand reopening. So, it was reopened in 1060. It takes a month for a magazine organize and print and deliver to mailboxes and stores for that month so it has to be September to November 1960 when they had their reopening. Clearly either rebuilt or had another location and built quickly.
For a rink that size, likely they were quick to rebuilt and opened that September to November 1960 perhaps with a large number of construction crews.
This time around, only one same owner from the original rink. There were quite a bit of operators/owners of the rink between 1960 and 1980 when it closed up for good. They perhaps either retired and someone bought out and the rink continued to operated. We do not know.
They even held state championship and United States Northeast Skating Championship in 1972. They had a large event. it was a elimination event.
However, they closed up shop in 1980 for some reason. The rink was originally made for organ music and those generations with figure skating, roller ballroom, etc. Not the young kids and teens regularly skates with DJ music. Likely that would be the next generation of Wal-Cliffe called Roller Castle. a huge departure from Wal-Cliffe.
Architecturally, I have no idea what it looked like. Only those pictures of the Grand Reopening in Skate magazine but the videos, while it is poor quality and darkened, the building looked very similar to the original rink. big rink likely the same size as a hockey rink and it was not touching the walls like the original did on one side (if you watch youtube video, you will noticed in background says "Refreshments" and look on the left wall. You will noticed competitors and fans watching skaters compete. The original Wal-Cliffe did not have rails on that side. Clearly it was bigger building to make it easier for skaters, fans, and judges and coaches walk around better on either side. The appearance looked very similar to the original that has those emergency exit doors! They even had it open for the competition. It was in late June and early July for this competition. The sign refreshment was a boost than the original. This might be because the lounge in the original were eliminated in its planning stages. It was identical for the rink and building itself though.
We do not know why they went out of business in 1980.
Rink Size: 78 X 190 Floor: Maple Wood Rink Floor Layout: Fan
Building Size: Larger than first building, N/A Built: N/A Demolished: (As Roller Castle, destroyed by fire in 1980)
Type of Building: Free Span Steel Building.
Roof: Gable?
Acres: Likely 3 acres
Operated: Fall 1960 to 1980 (exact date is unknown)
Wanted: Photos of the rink interior and exterior. Information of why they went out of business.
Sources:
YouTube A
YouTube B,
Skate magazine, January 1961. Also their 1972 U.S. Northeast Skating Championship Elimination event (PDF)
Daily News - Saturday 10 February 1979. Received this ad from Facebook Messenger.
Date of Issue: January 2019. Update: 22 January 2022.
For Office Only: 1.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. John 3:3-17.