Courtesy of Google Map. The rink today as a car collusion repair shop. Wendy's is shown to the left. It is standard that skating rinks have at least one fast food restaurant next door as you can see evident throughout this website profiles of rinks. Sports-O-Rama in Mattydale was another. When that rink closed, it was domino effect causing that Pizza Hut next door to close for good 10 years later. However, this Wendy's still alive after 25 years! Often skaters would go to a fast food restaurant or pizza shop/restaurant to eat after skating so they can enjoy company and talk and wait for their parents to pick them up after the rink closes for the night.
Skatehaven 501 Springville Cir., Birmingham, AL (Roebuck, AL)
Skatehaven was in Roebuck, Alabama however, no address is known. It is near Birmingham though. I am wondering if that was the one and same one in Birmingham (not listed on the list but as another rink) It was opened in 1970 according to this article in Trussville Tribune online newspaper.
Skatehaven was built in 1969 and opened around May 1970. The owners, J P and Ruth Carter were originally were from Gadsden. J P or Joseph Pratt as he was known by his family worked at Goodyear Tire and Rubber company before he made his decision to go into the skating rink business when he open Rainbow Skating Rink in Gadsden and later another in Anniston which Rainbow was moved to. Then they were making their way to Birmingham where Skate Haven was built in 1969 and completed and opened in May 1970 in Roebuck, AL. Other rinks the Carters opened included Valley Skate Center in Birmingham in 1972, Fun Times in Gardendale in 1974, Skate World in Hoover in 1976, Skate Palace in Irondale in 1982 and PlayStation in 1996.
This means the Carters operated seven rinks during their skating rink business career.
The rink is now some automobile collusion body repair shop.
Skatehaven closed in mid 1990s. It was sometimes called Skate Haven but it is Skatehaven, period.
The Interior.
I could not get better photos and seen on Facebook of people in the 80s. It does appear to have Maple floor. Clear, not painted. Not much I can tell.
The Exterior.
It is a Gable roofed Steel Free-Span Truss, Department store-like building, Free-standing. It sits on property behind Wendy's Fast Food Restaurant on a boulevard-type of street. It does look like a department store because of its design reminded me of several stores that had that look. But does look like any other rinks in the South including Sparkles, Starlite, Carousel, and many others. Google Map only be from 2007/8 and newer but the rink closed in mid-1990s so I have no idea what color it was. The car repair shop painted in Pale Gray as you can see in the photo.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Likely Maple, Clear coated. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: 1969. Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Steel Free-Span Truss, Department store-like building
Roof: Gable. (appears flat)
Acres: N/A.
Operated: c. May 1970 to mid-1990s.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding photos, exact dates. Sizes. Why closed?
Anyone has pictures and/or information please let me know at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Trussville Tribune, Facebook,
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. God Matters. Ps 86:10
Skatehaven was built in 1969 and opened around May 1970. The owners, J P and Ruth Carter were originally were from Gadsden. J P or Joseph Pratt as he was known by his family worked at Goodyear Tire and Rubber company before he made his decision to go into the skating rink business when he open Rainbow Skating Rink in Gadsden and later another in Anniston which Rainbow was moved to. Then they were making their way to Birmingham where Skate Haven was built in 1969 and completed and opened in May 1970 in Roebuck, AL. Other rinks the Carters opened included Valley Skate Center in Birmingham in 1972, Fun Times in Gardendale in 1974, Skate World in Hoover in 1976, Skate Palace in Irondale in 1982 and PlayStation in 1996.
This means the Carters operated seven rinks during their skating rink business career.
The rink is now some automobile collusion body repair shop.
Skatehaven closed in mid 1990s. It was sometimes called Skate Haven but it is Skatehaven, period.
The Interior.
I could not get better photos and seen on Facebook of people in the 80s. It does appear to have Maple floor. Clear, not painted. Not much I can tell.
The Exterior.
It is a Gable roofed Steel Free-Span Truss, Department store-like building, Free-standing. It sits on property behind Wendy's Fast Food Restaurant on a boulevard-type of street. It does look like a department store because of its design reminded me of several stores that had that look. But does look like any other rinks in the South including Sparkles, Starlite, Carousel, and many others. Google Map only be from 2007/8 and newer but the rink closed in mid-1990s so I have no idea what color it was. The car repair shop painted in Pale Gray as you can see in the photo.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Likely Maple, Clear coated. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: 1969. Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Steel Free-Span Truss, Department store-like building
Roof: Gable. (appears flat)
Acres: N/A.
Operated: c. May 1970 to mid-1990s.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding photos, exact dates. Sizes. Why closed?
Anyone has pictures and/or information please let me know at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Trussville Tribune, Facebook,
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. God Matters. Ps 86:10