Bottom four plus the logo are of Sandi/The Palace.
All 4 photos above courtesy of Nicole Esposito.
The Palace Roller Rink, 1490 Brown Rd, North Fort Myers, Florida
It may have been glamorous to have such a rink due its name. The rink was in North Fort Myers, Florida, not Fort Myers. Not to be confused. Some cities next to the main city have such names. Anyway, the rink was first opened in 1981 by the Dolds- Raymond and Sandi.
Later, it was just Sandi running the rink with different last name. This time it is Sandi Occhinto. She ran the rink from its opening till its demise on November 25, 2018 because the rink was sold. It was up for sale for a while.
Darn, I wish I could have bought this nice looking rink that they had for 37 and half years.
The white exterior was simple gable roofed warehouse look with vertical aluminum panel siding and roof. It was nice and simple rink. Big signs were on the left side that was facing the road and the signs on the side facing the highway.
The interior was a pleasant looking rink that was built with real maple wood. It has romantic sparkling diamond balls hung in the middle of the rink. I counted five diamond balls. It was very clean looking rink lights and not cluttered like many rinks had or still have the starburst lights with a diamond ball in center. They had ceiling lights with color tube lamps. Of course, in Christmas colors of Red and Green as well as white and Yellow.
Nice red background against clear coated oiled maple wood floor. I find rinks with Red color walls best complimentary color to the clear coated maple wood floors. Unless you want to use Olive Green! Haha. The rink is very open with less half-walls because they can be more roomy and freely. It appeared to be very long rink. without the rails/half walls, it does make the space look roomy. This reminds me of another rink in Florida that just closed and I just listed that one. Both rinks are quite similar in design and built. There are some hint of Christmas Green as well. They had interesting stripes on the wall as well. Red, White and.. was it Green?
Sandi who happens to be a Christian loved children and that was the rink she ran for. The reason for the closure she wanted to retire and already is retiring in the Sunshine State joining with all the other Snowbirds and Retired people. Just want to slow down. Unfortunately no one wanted to buy the rink to preserve it.
God bless you Sandi.
UPDATE: Nicole told me that her parents tried to purchase the rink to preserve it as a rink rather than something else but then her father passed away. At least somebody tried to save a rink. Will you, skaters save a rink? You can!
A huge thank you to Nicole!
Rink Size: N/A (appeared to be long, large rink) Floor: Maple Wood Floor Layout: Fan
Building Size: N/A Built: Demolished: N/A
Type of Building: Free Span Steel warehouse-like Building
Roof: Gable
Acres: 2.5 Acres
Operated: 1981 to November 25, 2018
Reason for Closure: Retirement
Wanted: Pictures of the rink in early days. It did looked remodeled in its 37 and half years.
Sources: Website, Forgotten Roller Rinks of the Past. Nicole Esposito-her friend's parents owned this certain rink.
© 2019 - 2020 Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved.
It may have been glamorous to have such a rink due its name. The rink was in North Fort Myers, Florida, not Fort Myers. Not to be confused. Some cities next to the main city have such names. Anyway, the rink was first opened in 1981 by the Dolds- Raymond and Sandi.
Later, it was just Sandi running the rink with different last name. This time it is Sandi Occhinto. She ran the rink from its opening till its demise on November 25, 2018 because the rink was sold. It was up for sale for a while.
Darn, I wish I could have bought this nice looking rink that they had for 37 and half years.
The white exterior was simple gable roofed warehouse look with vertical aluminum panel siding and roof. It was nice and simple rink. Big signs were on the left side that was facing the road and the signs on the side facing the highway.
The interior was a pleasant looking rink that was built with real maple wood. It has romantic sparkling diamond balls hung in the middle of the rink. I counted five diamond balls. It was very clean looking rink lights and not cluttered like many rinks had or still have the starburst lights with a diamond ball in center. They had ceiling lights with color tube lamps. Of course, in Christmas colors of Red and Green as well as white and Yellow.
Nice red background against clear coated oiled maple wood floor. I find rinks with Red color walls best complimentary color to the clear coated maple wood floors. Unless you want to use Olive Green! Haha. The rink is very open with less half-walls because they can be more roomy and freely. It appeared to be very long rink. without the rails/half walls, it does make the space look roomy. This reminds me of another rink in Florida that just closed and I just listed that one. Both rinks are quite similar in design and built. There are some hint of Christmas Green as well. They had interesting stripes on the wall as well. Red, White and.. was it Green?
Sandi who happens to be a Christian loved children and that was the rink she ran for. The reason for the closure she wanted to retire and already is retiring in the Sunshine State joining with all the other Snowbirds and Retired people. Just want to slow down. Unfortunately no one wanted to buy the rink to preserve it.
God bless you Sandi.
UPDATE: Nicole told me that her parents tried to purchase the rink to preserve it as a rink rather than something else but then her father passed away. At least somebody tried to save a rink. Will you, skaters save a rink? You can!
A huge thank you to Nicole!
Rink Size: N/A (appeared to be long, large rink) Floor: Maple Wood Floor Layout: Fan
Building Size: N/A Built: Demolished: N/A
Type of Building: Free Span Steel warehouse-like Building
Roof: Gable
Acres: 2.5 Acres
Operated: 1981 to November 25, 2018
Reason for Closure: Retirement
Wanted: Pictures of the rink in early days. It did looked remodeled in its 37 and half years.
Sources: Website, Forgotten Roller Rinks of the Past. Nicole Esposito-her friend's parents owned this certain rink.
© 2019 - 2020 Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved.