Swanton Coliseum Roller Skating Center 12725 Airport Hwy, Swanton, OH. Photographs taken in 2009 and 2019 of the signs Source: Google (both).
Swanton Coliseum Roller Skating Center 12725 Airport Hwy, Swanton, OH. An older version of the look. Source: Loop Net.
Swanton Coliseum Roller Skating Center 12725 Airport Hwy, Swanton, OH. Photographs taken in 2009 Source: Google.
Swanton Coliseum Roller Skating Center 12725 Airport Hwy, Swanton, OH. Photographs taken a few years later, in 2015. Source: Google.
Swanton Coliseum Roller Skating Center 12725 Airport Hwy, Swanton, OH. The roller rink floor. Source: Roller Rinks Past and Present Facebook group.
Swanton Coliseum Roller Skating Center 12725 Airport Hwy, Swanton, OH. Another view of the roller rink floor. Source: Roller Rinks Past and Present Facebook group.
Swanton Coliseum Roller Skating Center 12725 Airport Hwy, Swanton, OH. One evening full of skaters. Beautiful lights! Source: Roller Rinks Past and Present Facebook group.
Swanton Coliseum Roller Skating Center 12725 Airport Hwy, Swanton, OH. Grand opening announced. Wednesday 17 September 1958. Source: Swanton Enterprise Wednesday 17 September 1958. Digitally remastered © Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. (Clean up).
Swanton Coliseum Roller Skating Center 12725 Airport Hwy, Swanton, OH. Grand opening announced. Wednesday 11 February 1959. Source: Swanton Enterprise Wednesday 11 February 1959. Digitally remastered © Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. (Clean up).
Swanton Coliseum Roller Skating Center 12725 Airport Hwy, Swanton, OH. Sad announcement of closure of the rink. Any attempt to read on Facebook is null. Their Facebook page is gone. Source: Swanton Enterprise 5 May 2017.
Swanton Coliseum Roller Skating Center 12725 Airport Hwy, Swanton, OH
Swanton Coliseum Roller Skating Center was a long time rink from 1959 to 2017 at 12725 Airport Highway, Swanton, Ohio.
The story goes as this that several banks thought Bob Wyse was crazy when he was seeking for financing to build a new roller skating rink. He did not give and found financing. This made the rest history that Bob and his wife Dorothy Wyse purchased the property and built the rink. There were delay that he wanted it opened by December 1st, 1958 after two years of building it but ended up on Friday evening February 3, 1959 to have grand opening. They operated till Mid-1960s when the Wyse's family friends Family friends Norm and his wife, Donna Tiplady leased the business. They operated for a few years. Then in the late 1970s, Bob and Dorothy's son, Tom and Tom's wife Beth Wyse operated the rink to continue. But in 1982, Tom and Beth Wyse moved to another state to open a new roller rink (in Arizona).
A third Wyse couple operated the rink. They operated from 1982 to its closure on June 3, 2017. That couple was Gene and Linda Wyse Bridges took over.
As of 2019, Google showed the place still the roller rink but doors are boarded up though. I do not know what took over.
Here is the clarification of timeline--
1957 to Friday February 3, 1959 - Owners: Bob and Dorothy Wyse built the Swanton Coliseum.
Friday 03 February 1959 - Grand Opening of the rink.
Mid-1960's - Norm and Donna Tiplady, the Wyse's family friends, leased the business for a few years (exact is unknown).
Late 1970's to 1982 - Beth and Tom Wyse (son of Bob and Dorothy Wyse) Operated Swanton Coliseum.
1982 - Tom Wyse and his wife Beth moved, opened a new rink in Arizona.
1982 - 2017 - Gene Bridges and Linda Wyse Bridges assumed operations.
03 June 2017 - Ceased operations.
June 2017 to 2019 - the name of the rink STILL on the exterior wall!
The Interior.
They had a 71 Feet x 171 Feet Terrazzo floor that covered the entire roller rink floor. The interior, of course changed its colors and styles through the years since 1959 to its closure in 2017 which stood for roughly 60 years. I do not know what the original appearance was like but.. most recent they had Orange and Green with some kind of off White with interesting graphic of a pattern somewhat similar to Navajo Nation graphic patterns. But those graphics both interior and exterior were unique though. I believe it was pattern after their Cinderblocks walls and painted within those blocks' shapes.
The Exterior.
The entire building appeared to look like an old church or school house because of the steeple or pinnacle on top of the Gable roof in front of the building. The exception is that there are no windows! Apparently there were in the front of the building as you can see clearly in the photograph.
It is a Cinderblock built building and the paint color.. It appeared to be Orchid Violet color (in the Loop Net photo) that I compared online. That was before they painted with a new color in mid 2010s. It was leaning toward to Pink Salmon kind of color. They cut down the scrubs and made it look real nice.
It was Pink Salmon with White above however, the 2019 Google showed it was STILL a roller rink because no business took over. I do not know what took over there right now. But they painted over the White part with Black. Black and Salmon? Funny combination of colors I have to say. The newest is 2019 so give Google a chance to show what is there.
Again the graphic was somewhat similar to Navajo Nation Group. But this one more of their own original design.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 72 Feet x 172 Feet. Floor: Terrazzo. Floor Layout: Tiles/Standard.
Building Size: 9,848 SF. Built/Renovations: 1959/N/A. Demolished: Still standing (as of 2019)
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Cinderblocks - Walled Church/Schoolhouse - like Building.
Roof: Gable with Steeple.
Acres: 5.3165 AC.
Operated: (Overall)-- Friday evening 13 February 1959 to Saturday evening 03 June 2017.
Reason for Closure: Retirement, to spend time with family.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos/articles. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you. You can also use this form.
Sources:
Loop Net - Real Estate Records. PDF Version.
Re/Max - Real estate records.
Swanton Enterprise - All dates are noted in gallery above.
Date of issue: 01 October 2021.
For office use only: 11
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.
The story goes as this that several banks thought Bob Wyse was crazy when he was seeking for financing to build a new roller skating rink. He did not give and found financing. This made the rest history that Bob and his wife Dorothy Wyse purchased the property and built the rink. There were delay that he wanted it opened by December 1st, 1958 after two years of building it but ended up on Friday evening February 3, 1959 to have grand opening. They operated till Mid-1960s when the Wyse's family friends Family friends Norm and his wife, Donna Tiplady leased the business. They operated for a few years. Then in the late 1970s, Bob and Dorothy's son, Tom and Tom's wife Beth Wyse operated the rink to continue. But in 1982, Tom and Beth Wyse moved to another state to open a new roller rink (in Arizona).
A third Wyse couple operated the rink. They operated from 1982 to its closure on June 3, 2017. That couple was Gene and Linda Wyse Bridges took over.
As of 2019, Google showed the place still the roller rink but doors are boarded up though. I do not know what took over.
Here is the clarification of timeline--
1957 to Friday February 3, 1959 - Owners: Bob and Dorothy Wyse built the Swanton Coliseum.
Friday 03 February 1959 - Grand Opening of the rink.
Mid-1960's - Norm and Donna Tiplady, the Wyse's family friends, leased the business for a few years (exact is unknown).
Late 1970's to 1982 - Beth and Tom Wyse (son of Bob and Dorothy Wyse) Operated Swanton Coliseum.
1982 - Tom Wyse and his wife Beth moved, opened a new rink in Arizona.
1982 - 2017 - Gene Bridges and Linda Wyse Bridges assumed operations.
03 June 2017 - Ceased operations.
June 2017 to 2019 - the name of the rink STILL on the exterior wall!
The Interior.
They had a 71 Feet x 171 Feet Terrazzo floor that covered the entire roller rink floor. The interior, of course changed its colors and styles through the years since 1959 to its closure in 2017 which stood for roughly 60 years. I do not know what the original appearance was like but.. most recent they had Orange and Green with some kind of off White with interesting graphic of a pattern somewhat similar to Navajo Nation graphic patterns. But those graphics both interior and exterior were unique though. I believe it was pattern after their Cinderblocks walls and painted within those blocks' shapes.
The Exterior.
The entire building appeared to look like an old church or school house because of the steeple or pinnacle on top of the Gable roof in front of the building. The exception is that there are no windows! Apparently there were in the front of the building as you can see clearly in the photograph.
It is a Cinderblock built building and the paint color.. It appeared to be Orchid Violet color (in the Loop Net photo) that I compared online. That was before they painted with a new color in mid 2010s. It was leaning toward to Pink Salmon kind of color. They cut down the scrubs and made it look real nice.
It was Pink Salmon with White above however, the 2019 Google showed it was STILL a roller rink because no business took over. I do not know what took over there right now. But they painted over the White part with Black. Black and Salmon? Funny combination of colors I have to say. The newest is 2019 so give Google a chance to show what is there.
Again the graphic was somewhat similar to Navajo Nation Group. But this one more of their own original design.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 72 Feet x 172 Feet. Floor: Terrazzo. Floor Layout: Tiles/Standard.
Building Size: 9,848 SF. Built/Renovations: 1959/N/A. Demolished: Still standing (as of 2019)
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Cinderblocks - Walled Church/Schoolhouse - like Building.
Roof: Gable with Steeple.
Acres: 5.3165 AC.
Operated: (Overall)-- Friday evening 13 February 1959 to Saturday evening 03 June 2017.
Reason for Closure: Retirement, to spend time with family.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos/articles. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you. You can also use this form.
Sources:
Loop Net - Real Estate Records. PDF Version.
Re/Max - Real estate records.
Swanton Enterprise - All dates are noted in gallery above.
Date of issue: 01 October 2021.
For office use only: 11
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.