Skate Island, Grand Island, Nebraska. Sign taken in 2019. Source: Google Map.
Skate Island, Grand Island, Nebraska. Sign taken in February 2021 Source: News Channel Nebraska.
Skate Island, Grand Island, Nebraska. Miniature golf course.
Skate Island, Grand Island, Nebraska. Miniature golf course.
Skate Island, Grand Island, Nebraska. The rear. Taken in 2019. Source: Google Map.
Skate Island, Grand Island, Nebraska. The front. Taken in 2019. Source: Google Map.
Skate Island, Grand Island, Nebraska. Source: Trip Advisor.
Skate Island, Grand Island, Nebraska. In the hey days with beautiful rink floor that is a rotunda, the Cadillac of rink layout. Source: Skate Island/The Anderson Family.
Skate Island, Grand Island, Nebraska. In the hey days with beautiful rink floor that is a rotunda, the Cadillac of rink layout. The black light paint says, "Welcome to the Skate of Fun." Source: Skate Island/The Anderson Family.
Skate Island, Grand Island, Nebraska. Taken in February 2021. Source: News Channel Nebraska.
Skate Island, Grand Island, Nebraska. Ohhhh! That gotta hurt to see this happened! Especially that beauitiful expensive floor they had it lay this way. Now they would not be able to savage them all. Yes, they put large tarps on the floor in hopes to save it. I do not know.... Source: The Independent.
Skate Island, Grand Island, Nebraska. It was just brand new opened in 1966, but this flood in 1967 ruined it all. In that photo, it appeared to be 3 to 5 footer flood. Yes, ruined the maple floor and may had to redo the floor again at the time. Source: The Independent, photo courtesy of Land Air, Inc.
Skate Island, Grand Island, Nebraska. This was when it became a weathervane. Source: Roadside Architecture. This was when it became a weathervane.
Skate Island, Grand Island, Nebraska. Taken after the roof collapsed. Source: KSNB Local 4.
Skate Island 2310 N Webb Rd, Grand Island, NE
Skate Island was a rink at 2310 North Webb Road, Grand Island, Nebraska. One source said they opened in 1966 but the owner of the rink, Steve Anderson, saying the business has been in the family 52 years (dated February 8, 2021), on that day of the roof collapsed due to heavy snow. This brings back to 1969, the same banner year for Baby Boomers celebrating mankind reached to the moon, Woodstock, and other major events. This according to NTV.
Steve's grandfather, Jerry Anderson, owns the land and the Skate Island building. His father, Steve, owns the business.
If Steve says 1969, that means his father bought the building, rink, and land but it was in 1966, Skate Island opened under a different owner. Read this one-- News Channel Nebraska. Also The Independent.
Sadly the roof collapsed due to record amount of snow fell in Nebraska and among the Mid-west and Mountain States (See Snowiest City in the US website for winter 2020-2021 with 3 cities Colorado beats upstate NY: Golden Snow Globe).
What even more sadder that this rink did faced another battle. This was in 1967, just merely brand new opened a year before and the flood damaged it. Then the COVID closed the rink and then the collapse was the last straw. I am sure that is why the owner of Skate Island in 1967 had it enough and finally sold in 1969. I felt really bad for Skate Island and for the Anderson. But skaters, do thank them for the effort to try to save the rink again.
The saddest of all is with the roof collapsed, they tried everything to savage the rink with a rebuilt. They said it would cost a lot of money to rebuilt. They even talked with a national roller rink Chain from Colorado, I suspect it is Roller City and they found the same problem: the cost to rebuilt. This is Joe Biden's era that causing prices to go up. Lumber is up 400 percent this year. This is why they are saying it is not good to rebuilt right now.
When the building is cleared, they will sell the land perhaps including the miniature golf as well. Too bad they would not sell as it is to a developer who can rebuilt as a rink. I doubt that because businesses prefer something else and not care about children or teens or even adult wanting recreation. This is Nebraska, the home of Roller Skating Museum! Only a very few left there. This is bad. Really need re development.
In my opinion, they could have thought of another location to move. And this time, get a snowblower sits on the roof all year and when winter comes, go do your job blowing the snow off. Apparently with Segmental Arch, they could not but look, I even have a roof snow broom that you can sweep off the roof from the ground. Yes, Skate island is taller but then there are ladders and you just get up on top of the ladder and broom it off OR in summer, add what I see some places they have de-icer on their commercial roofs. That will melt ice and snow. Well, install that in summer. Too late to think of that but this is excellent lesson for all current operators of rinks AND any businesses with such roofs! Hey, you are close to John Deere manufacturing plant in Iowa or go all the way to Wisconsin for an Ariens blower. Of course, dealers are near you. Go visit them. Tell them I recommend you visit them and buy one.
Or because of they were closed too long due to COVID, the cold air inside gave away to heavier snow on the roof. They should have turned on the heater. That is what I told my old boss 30 plus years ago for his rink with a FLAT roof in the SNOWIEST city in the nation (Syracuse, NY with average of 127.8 of snow per winter). Think about that.
This is the quote from the Steve Anderson and Family has to say:
To our skating community,
It is with heavy hearts that we announce that Skate Island will not be reopening. Following the collapse of our roof in February, we explored multiple paths back to reopening and even vetted a sale to a large roller rink operator out of Colorado. Unfortunately, there was not an option to rebuild that was economically feasible.
We understand this news will be met with a lot of disappointment. The Anderson family has owned and operated Skate Island since 1969. Over the past 50+ years, Skate Island thrived because it was a safe and enjoyable family entertainment destination. It was a place to celebrate your kid’s birthday and a place THAT kid could then return to as an adult to do the same for their kids. We realize the importance a place like Skate Island has been to the community, which makes this decision even harder.
The Anderson family would like to thank the Grand Island community for continually supporting our business over the years. We also thank all the amazing employees that worked at Skate Island. If you ever donned the Panda Bear costume, served an Italian ice, passed out skates, drove the Fun Bus, DJ’ed a “sock hop” or ran the limbo contest, you helped make Skate Island a special place.
What we wouldn’t give to take one more lap around our maple rotunda floor (counter-clockwise of course). It’s unfortunate it had to end this way, but we will cherish all the memories that were made along the way. Long live the skate!
Sincerely,
--Steve Anderson and the Skate Island Family.
The Interior.
Beautiful non-painted Polyurethane coated counter-clockwise Rotunda Hardwood Maple floor. I saw the photo and wow! This one tops for this type of floor because it is not just the rotunda layout, it is the texture of the wood itself makes it more glamourous. Beautiful floor! I love that floor. Excellent design. I hate to see it goes.
They had two traditional Starburst lights on the ceiling.
The murals they had was very simple design. Very simple. I had to say it again because I do not know what to say at 4 in the morning when I made this. On the back wall of the rink it appeared to be a very simple sunny day with an island. Very much of a Johnny Castaway's island like. But the words they have up on there was "Welcome to the Skate of Fun."
The only major difference was Johnny was marooned on a single tree island and the art work showed triple trees.
The Exterior.
It appeared to be a very long White Free-Span Steel Trusses Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building. The roof was Segmental Arch.
About the Skate upon the roof of the building. Since the first opening in 1966, it was about twenty feet tall skate that was atop of the roof. The huge white skate revolved like some signs back the day used to do but they had high winds which damaging the motor gears. they had to convert the sign into a weathervane by adding a tail to back of the skate. Along the times, they added pom-pom or two on the skate. In 2010, the sign was completely refurbished for about $11,000. The original frame was used while the sign's acrylic panels were replaced with more durable flex face. Although the skate is now stationary, the weathervane tail remained. The skate is lit from inside and its undercarriage is lit with blue neon. The wheels appeared to spin with lights rotating.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 75' X 175'. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: Flooding in June 1967, repaired, roof collapsed February 8, 2021, demolished Summer 2021.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Segmental Arch.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: (Overall)-- 1966 to February 8, 2021.
(First owner): 1966 to 1969 (with months of closure due to flooding damages)
(The Anderson Family) 1069 to February 8, 2021 (Roof collapsed date, not the permanently close date of May 28, 2021).
Reason for Closure: Thick snow collapsed the Segmental Arch roof (which is best against snow) and they saw the cost of tear down and rebuilt was too much.
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: NTV ABC - Decide to close permanently instead of rebuilt (PDF Version);
News Channel Nebraska; Trip Advisor; Road Architecture - about the skate sign; The Independent - Rink closed for good; Steve Anderson; The Independent - Flooding in June 1967; KSNB Local 4 - wont open;
Date of issue: 29 May 2021. Updated and finish profile: 1 June 2021.
For office use only: 14 p. 3 g. 1 np.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.
Steve's grandfather, Jerry Anderson, owns the land and the Skate Island building. His father, Steve, owns the business.
If Steve says 1969, that means his father bought the building, rink, and land but it was in 1966, Skate Island opened under a different owner. Read this one-- News Channel Nebraska. Also The Independent.
Sadly the roof collapsed due to record amount of snow fell in Nebraska and among the Mid-west and Mountain States (See Snowiest City in the US website for winter 2020-2021 with 3 cities Colorado beats upstate NY: Golden Snow Globe).
What even more sadder that this rink did faced another battle. This was in 1967, just merely brand new opened a year before and the flood damaged it. Then the COVID closed the rink and then the collapse was the last straw. I am sure that is why the owner of Skate Island in 1967 had it enough and finally sold in 1969. I felt really bad for Skate Island and for the Anderson. But skaters, do thank them for the effort to try to save the rink again.
The saddest of all is with the roof collapsed, they tried everything to savage the rink with a rebuilt. They said it would cost a lot of money to rebuilt. They even talked with a national roller rink Chain from Colorado, I suspect it is Roller City and they found the same problem: the cost to rebuilt. This is Joe Biden's era that causing prices to go up. Lumber is up 400 percent this year. This is why they are saying it is not good to rebuilt right now.
When the building is cleared, they will sell the land perhaps including the miniature golf as well. Too bad they would not sell as it is to a developer who can rebuilt as a rink. I doubt that because businesses prefer something else and not care about children or teens or even adult wanting recreation. This is Nebraska, the home of Roller Skating Museum! Only a very few left there. This is bad. Really need re development.
In my opinion, they could have thought of another location to move. And this time, get a snowblower sits on the roof all year and when winter comes, go do your job blowing the snow off. Apparently with Segmental Arch, they could not but look, I even have a roof snow broom that you can sweep off the roof from the ground. Yes, Skate island is taller but then there are ladders and you just get up on top of the ladder and broom it off OR in summer, add what I see some places they have de-icer on their commercial roofs. That will melt ice and snow. Well, install that in summer. Too late to think of that but this is excellent lesson for all current operators of rinks AND any businesses with such roofs! Hey, you are close to John Deere manufacturing plant in Iowa or go all the way to Wisconsin for an Ariens blower. Of course, dealers are near you. Go visit them. Tell them I recommend you visit them and buy one.
Or because of they were closed too long due to COVID, the cold air inside gave away to heavier snow on the roof. They should have turned on the heater. That is what I told my old boss 30 plus years ago for his rink with a FLAT roof in the SNOWIEST city in the nation (Syracuse, NY with average of 127.8 of snow per winter). Think about that.
This is the quote from the Steve Anderson and Family has to say:
To our skating community,
It is with heavy hearts that we announce that Skate Island will not be reopening. Following the collapse of our roof in February, we explored multiple paths back to reopening and even vetted a sale to a large roller rink operator out of Colorado. Unfortunately, there was not an option to rebuild that was economically feasible.
We understand this news will be met with a lot of disappointment. The Anderson family has owned and operated Skate Island since 1969. Over the past 50+ years, Skate Island thrived because it was a safe and enjoyable family entertainment destination. It was a place to celebrate your kid’s birthday and a place THAT kid could then return to as an adult to do the same for their kids. We realize the importance a place like Skate Island has been to the community, which makes this decision even harder.
The Anderson family would like to thank the Grand Island community for continually supporting our business over the years. We also thank all the amazing employees that worked at Skate Island. If you ever donned the Panda Bear costume, served an Italian ice, passed out skates, drove the Fun Bus, DJ’ed a “sock hop” or ran the limbo contest, you helped make Skate Island a special place.
What we wouldn’t give to take one more lap around our maple rotunda floor (counter-clockwise of course). It’s unfortunate it had to end this way, but we will cherish all the memories that were made along the way. Long live the skate!
Sincerely,
--Steve Anderson and the Skate Island Family.
The Interior.
Beautiful non-painted Polyurethane coated counter-clockwise Rotunda Hardwood Maple floor. I saw the photo and wow! This one tops for this type of floor because it is not just the rotunda layout, it is the texture of the wood itself makes it more glamourous. Beautiful floor! I love that floor. Excellent design. I hate to see it goes.
They had two traditional Starburst lights on the ceiling.
The murals they had was very simple design. Very simple. I had to say it again because I do not know what to say at 4 in the morning when I made this. On the back wall of the rink it appeared to be a very simple sunny day with an island. Very much of a Johnny Castaway's island like. But the words they have up on there was "Welcome to the Skate of Fun."
The only major difference was Johnny was marooned on a single tree island and the art work showed triple trees.
The Exterior.
It appeared to be a very long White Free-Span Steel Trusses Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building. The roof was Segmental Arch.
About the Skate upon the roof of the building. Since the first opening in 1966, it was about twenty feet tall skate that was atop of the roof. The huge white skate revolved like some signs back the day used to do but they had high winds which damaging the motor gears. they had to convert the sign into a weathervane by adding a tail to back of the skate. Along the times, they added pom-pom or two on the skate. In 2010, the sign was completely refurbished for about $11,000. The original frame was used while the sign's acrylic panels were replaced with more durable flex face. Although the skate is now stationary, the weathervane tail remained. The skate is lit from inside and its undercarriage is lit with blue neon. The wheels appeared to spin with lights rotating.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 75' X 175'. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: Flooding in June 1967, repaired, roof collapsed February 8, 2021, demolished Summer 2021.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Segmental Arch.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: (Overall)-- 1966 to February 8, 2021.
(First owner): 1966 to 1969 (with months of closure due to flooding damages)
(The Anderson Family) 1069 to February 8, 2021 (Roof collapsed date, not the permanently close date of May 28, 2021).
Reason for Closure: Thick snow collapsed the Segmental Arch roof (which is best against snow) and they saw the cost of tear down and rebuilt was too much.
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: NTV ABC - Decide to close permanently instead of rebuilt (PDF Version);
News Channel Nebraska; Trip Advisor; Road Architecture - about the skate sign; The Independent - Rink closed for good; Steve Anderson; The Independent - Flooding in June 1967; KSNB Local 4 - wont open;
Date of issue: 29 May 2021. Updated and finish profile: 1 June 2021.
For office use only: 14 p. 3 g. 1 np.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.