Logo courtesy of Starlite Skate Center (Salina, KS).
Both courtesy of Starlite Skate Center (Salina, KS), showed 1960s aerial view where the rink was. They were on the main road from downtown Salina as you can see on top photo. You can also see the old drive-in theater on the left in both photos. Those homes being built was part of a development similar to what Levittown was known for. In 1960s, suburban development were hot ever since 1948 after the war for Americans returning home and because of Baby Boomers generation were starting to buy homes roughly at this time and later. That building in middle of all homes just south of that water tower is a church and they have enlarged the church.
Google Maps. Noticed Starburst on top? This was still ongoing Space Race and Nuclear Race of 1950s-1960s and this rink building was truly a Googie design. (finally I get to see and catalog a true Googie architecture roller rink on this site!) Not just the starburst, but also the canopy was truly Googie's. Photo below is a 2013 version. The girl on the sign appeared to be 1950s-60s look because of the poodle skirt (also known as Christmas tree skirt).
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Both above Google Maps. As you can see, it is truly Google's Architecture shown here. Just the Canopy and Starburst. Taken in 2013.
Google Map. Noticed some changes. They painted over the mural of "Roller Skating" on the wall and painted a different color for the front. The reason was because if you can see the 2013 photo, dirt from the lawn mower, and from winters stained the wall. So, they painted exactly the same appearance as the stain. White is nice but no.
Courtesy of Starlite Skate Center (Salina, KS). Sorry it was grainy because it was from their old website domain (Archives). Wow, full parking and was overflowed because of that white van parked on the side of the road! Very popular! This appeared to be taken in early 2000s because of popular mini-vans seen in the photo.
Courtesy of Starlite Skate Center (Salina, KS) Facebook Page. This was only one I can find a true classic photograph of the rink in late 1960s because I can tell with the jeans and tights the girls wore, not the Christmas tree skirts of 1950s the females wore. Second, the shirts they wore too very 1960s trendy look. Also the wheels look bigger than the old classic wood wheels. They were polyurethane wheels or "plastics."
Courtesy of Starlite Skate Center (Salina, KS) Facebook Page. Taken on a December 31 ready for New Years' balloon drops. Were there money in the balloons? Good questions! Oh well! Haha.
Courtesy of Starlite Skate Center (Salina, KS) Facebook Page. Yup, I was right, Happy New Year! The way the board looked. It looked like it was a roller hockey score board turned into a clock-down. Is that right? Anyone know more about this clock?
Courtesy of Starlite Skate Center (Salina, KS). Noticed the "lockers?" No lockers but open box shelves. Starburst lights with Mirror Balls in middle between those lights. And Globe lights 1960s style.
Yellow really brighten up inside!
Yellow really brighten up inside!
Starlite Skate Center (Salina, KS) Website archives.
Starlite Skate Center Facebook page. Final skate announced.
Starlite Skate Center 2661 Market Place, Salina, KS
Starlite Skate Center was not related to the Starlite South and the Starlite West/Sk8away because it was at 2661 Market Place, Salina, Kansas.
What makes this rink and the Starlite South Skate Center quite interesting is that both rinks had their upstarts in mid-1960s and they both went out of business in Summer 2020 and they both have same name, "Starlite" so what makes this interesting? Those. But totally different ownership, different operator, different management.
In recent times, this rink was run by Roger Krehbiel and his wife, Mary. They met each other at this very same rink they owned.
Roger Krehbiel’s father built the iconic skating rink in 1963, and Roger Krehibiel started working there at age 16. Then in 1984, Roger bought it from his father, Clinton J. Krehbiel who co-owned with L. S. Roesler,
Roger Krehbiel, who was also the DJ announcer, has Parkinson’s disease and cannot talk as much as he used to. One of the reasons for retirement is to spend more time with his kids and grandkids “and will do some more fishing.” But he wanted to continue operating the business, which has provided lifetime memories for several more generations, but the insurance and taxes are too high to be a profitable business anymore.
They were sold to a car wash and demolished the building to make way for a car wash. As Doctor Smith would say, "Oh the pains, the pains!" I am not liking that! There is no chance to covert back to a rink again. Unless someone has millions then yeah.
The Interior.
It was a beautiful rink with beautiful Maple wood floor on top of another flooring which is on top of Asphalt. That was very rare and unusual format and even the owner said it was the best rink floor. Most rinks are built with Concrete floor first under the flooring then on top, Maple. The Concrete needs room to expand and contract due to temperature outside and ground temperature but with Asphalt, it does expand and contract also but differently. You can see that very clearly with roads like you felt on the highways the natural bumps because of the weather did this. But for a skating rink, its more of buried into the ground and there are no room to expand or contract in middle because they are pushed out and pushed in with the flooring held down on that. I am sure below the Asphalt was stones exactly like they do with roads. The stones below 11 inches of Asphalt in the US, 27 inches below the Asphalt in Germany. That highway there is called Autobahn.
Ok, enough of educational background, this makes the floor floatable of sort. Not like a rink somewhere I profiled on that has metal springs (kind of like your bed box springs would function), to float. Every rink function differently.
They had gray walls, and Mansard style ceiling with white celling panels, and a huge Starburst lights that was popular back the day (clearly kept that for decades).
The walls were Yellow and Dark Gray. Good compliment colors of Dark and Bright.
The Exterior.
This Gabled roof building had Free-Span Steel Truss Cinderblock building with little Googie's features. The only Googie's were the canopy that was also a Free-Span Steel Truss with slant up outward and a real tall starburst (perhaps lighted at night but I never seen a photograph of that).
There were a original sign at the very corner of the property. It was not there in Google Maps but there was a sign a bit hard to read. It was 90 degrees turn of that sign which made it hard for people to read. The 2008 photograph which is too grainy showed the word, SKATE but it is hard to read and not posted here.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Clear coated Polyurethane Maple on top of another flooring which is on top of Asphalt. (rare and unusual)
Floor Layout: Looks like either Rotunda or Fan.
Building Size: N/A. Built: 1963. Demolished: Summer 2019 to turn into a car wash.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Cinderblocks-Walled Googies warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: December 1963 to Saturday evening, May 25, 2019.
Reason for Closure: Health reasons; also insurance and taxes were to be blamed. This is nothing to do with COVID.
Wanted: Information regarding actual date of open, closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos.
Anyone has pictures and/or information please let me know at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Salina 1 - Closing; Salina 2 - fans feedback on the rink; Facebook; Rink Time; KSAL - Demolishing the old rink; Four Square; Loop Net 1; Loop Net 2; Yelp; Facebook- Starlite Skate Center (dormant);
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. God Matters. Jn 3:16.
What makes this rink and the Starlite South Skate Center quite interesting is that both rinks had their upstarts in mid-1960s and they both went out of business in Summer 2020 and they both have same name, "Starlite" so what makes this interesting? Those. But totally different ownership, different operator, different management.
In recent times, this rink was run by Roger Krehbiel and his wife, Mary. They met each other at this very same rink they owned.
Roger Krehbiel’s father built the iconic skating rink in 1963, and Roger Krehibiel started working there at age 16. Then in 1984, Roger bought it from his father, Clinton J. Krehbiel who co-owned with L. S. Roesler,
Roger Krehbiel, who was also the DJ announcer, has Parkinson’s disease and cannot talk as much as he used to. One of the reasons for retirement is to spend more time with his kids and grandkids “and will do some more fishing.” But he wanted to continue operating the business, which has provided lifetime memories for several more generations, but the insurance and taxes are too high to be a profitable business anymore.
They were sold to a car wash and demolished the building to make way for a car wash. As Doctor Smith would say, "Oh the pains, the pains!" I am not liking that! There is no chance to covert back to a rink again. Unless someone has millions then yeah.
The Interior.
It was a beautiful rink with beautiful Maple wood floor on top of another flooring which is on top of Asphalt. That was very rare and unusual format and even the owner said it was the best rink floor. Most rinks are built with Concrete floor first under the flooring then on top, Maple. The Concrete needs room to expand and contract due to temperature outside and ground temperature but with Asphalt, it does expand and contract also but differently. You can see that very clearly with roads like you felt on the highways the natural bumps because of the weather did this. But for a skating rink, its more of buried into the ground and there are no room to expand or contract in middle because they are pushed out and pushed in with the flooring held down on that. I am sure below the Asphalt was stones exactly like they do with roads. The stones below 11 inches of Asphalt in the US, 27 inches below the Asphalt in Germany. That highway there is called Autobahn.
Ok, enough of educational background, this makes the floor floatable of sort. Not like a rink somewhere I profiled on that has metal springs (kind of like your bed box springs would function), to float. Every rink function differently.
They had gray walls, and Mansard style ceiling with white celling panels, and a huge Starburst lights that was popular back the day (clearly kept that for decades).
The walls were Yellow and Dark Gray. Good compliment colors of Dark and Bright.
The Exterior.
This Gabled roof building had Free-Span Steel Truss Cinderblock building with little Googie's features. The only Googie's were the canopy that was also a Free-Span Steel Truss with slant up outward and a real tall starburst (perhaps lighted at night but I never seen a photograph of that).
There were a original sign at the very corner of the property. It was not there in Google Maps but there was a sign a bit hard to read. It was 90 degrees turn of that sign which made it hard for people to read. The 2008 photograph which is too grainy showed the word, SKATE but it is hard to read and not posted here.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Clear coated Polyurethane Maple on top of another flooring which is on top of Asphalt. (rare and unusual)
Floor Layout: Looks like either Rotunda or Fan.
Building Size: N/A. Built: 1963. Demolished: Summer 2019 to turn into a car wash.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Cinderblocks-Walled Googies warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: December 1963 to Saturday evening, May 25, 2019.
Reason for Closure: Health reasons; also insurance and taxes were to be blamed. This is nothing to do with COVID.
Wanted: Information regarding actual date of open, closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos.
Anyone has pictures and/or information please let me know at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Salina 1 - Closing; Salina 2 - fans feedback on the rink; Facebook; Rink Time; KSAL - Demolishing the old rink; Four Square; Loop Net 1; Loop Net 2; Yelp; Facebook- Starlite Skate Center (dormant);
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. God Matters. Jn 3:16.