Tri-City Skate World 4415 West 5th Avenue, Gary, IN. Taken in 2011 as Norm's World of Skates. Source: Google.
Tri-City Skate World 4415 West 5th Avenue, Gary, IN. After Norm's closed. You can easily see the police satellite office is to the left of the dying plaza. Did the police scared off skaters? The police department offices were there before Norm's closed. Hard to see on the map photo though. Source: Google.
Norm's World of Skates 4415 West 5th Avenue, Gary, IN. Source: Norm's World of Skates Facebook.
Tri-City Skate World 4415 West 5th Avenue, Gary, IN
World of Skates 4415 West 5th Avenue, Gary, IN
Norm's World of Skates 4415 West 5th Avenue, Gary, IN (aka)
World of Skates 4415 West 5th Avenue, Gary, IN
Norm's World of Skates 4415 West 5th Avenue, Gary, IN (aka)
Tri-City Skate World 4415 West 5th Avenue, Gary, Indiana was the first rink in town and another rink they competed was on the other end of the same road, Screamin' Wheels which they too went out of business.
Later it was World of Skates rink also known as Norm's World of Skates according to Facebook.
NOTE: Before I go on, this profile was made on 01 September 2022 however, I received an email someone telling me there was an error and explained who owned the rink. And She said about Screamin' Wheels. She was originally saying that someone was in error about the owners of Tri-City Skate Skate World! Not her family's Tri-City Skate World. The other Tri-City I am referring to is in LOUISIANA! Please click on the Tri-City to see what I mean. Someone goofed up. So, I stood corrected with the owners, now I the other profile is being repaired but this is done first. Then repair the other one. Folks, please do check the facts before you complain that I made errors. What I mean by that is there are dozens of dozens of rinks with similar names. Most common are Skateland, Skate Country, United Skates of America, and America on Wheels rinks just to name a few. Thank you for understanding. Please read disclaimer for further details.
Now back to our regular profiling of this rink.
It was part of a plaza called The Commons Route 20. It is currently for a long time a dead-plaza! Actually, dying because less than half are still active stores. It is a Dying-Plaza!
This plaza is bit unusual because it has three long sections of plaza building. They have very unusual parking lot as well. They had steel posts so that people do not drive up on sidewalk or crash into the buildings. Fire codes must be different there that normally you cannot park in front of the building because of fire fighters need access completely direct from their fire engines, pumpers and ladder trucks.
Anyway, you can spot very easily where the rink was because of its non-uniform store front like any other businesses had with their stores in the plaza which easily spot-- the little horizonal rectangular windows and the extension compared to the next door which still display large planes of windows. like any storefront.
That was where the rink.
The signage I discovered on Google stayed there until between 2011 and 2013 because they showed those years on their website. It was World of Skates rink.
UPDATE! --31 August 2022.
Another email came this way and here is what she has to say.
This rink was opened in the 80s by my aunt Carolyn Scott and her then husband James Scott. My mom and her sisters managed and worked there. Me, my sisters, and my cousins spent a lot of time there… even slept there as our parents worked. My entire family traveled to different states to see other rinks and participated and witnessed that rink come together. I remember the floor right after it was layed. My mom bought all the birthday cakes from Glen Park Bakery and Strack & Vantils. As kids I remember my sister and cousins and I loved to sneak and watch the adults in the disco as they danced on adult nights being we were the only kids there. I loved the pizza; it was just like the school lunch pizza. It was closed because James and my aunt divorced and he filed bankruptcy on it. Those were good times;-)
Sorry to hear about your aunt and uncle. But I am glad you had great time during those days. I know the feeling. Specific dates? I have a few rink names. Specific floor material? Anything about the interior?
UPDATED! -- 01 September 2022.
I got a followed up email from the same person...
My family was the original builder/owner and the name was Tri-City Skate World. My family built out the Rink/Disco/Concession area and we’re the very 1st rink competing with (Sceamin') Wheels on the opposite end of 5th (Avenue).
Then a reply back.
Yes, Tri-City Skate World and Screamin' Wheels were both located in Gary, Indiana. That’s my home town. The were located on the opposite ends of 5th Ave. 5th Avenue is a street that stretches from east all the was west going into neighboring cities. On the Far East side it turns into a highway known as 12&20 and that’s where Screamin' Wheels was located. On the far west it was Tri-City Skate World.
Ah, thank you for the correction! This is where I discovered the mistake. Not me, Because she did not say what town and state in the very first email! This is why it is very important to state WHAT LOCATION IN THE SUBJECT of the email AND IN THE EMAIL FIRST PLACE. Never let me assume the wrong state! Otherwise, you would be blamed for the mistakes and other skaters and operators will complain to me that I made mistake. We are NOT responsible for mistakes YOU provides.
That is why when I read the first email she said this..
Whomever said it was owned by the “Guldrys” is mis informed. It was owned by James and Carolyn Scott
Thanks,
Lynn
My answer is correct for this--
The Guldrys owned the Tri-City Skate World IN LOUISIANA!
The Interior.
Tri-City Skate World: N/A.
World of Skates: N/A.
Norm's World of Skates: N/A.
The Exterior.
Tri-City Skate World: Free-Span Steel Trusses Cinderblocks and Wood - Walled Storefront - like Plaza with Flatted roof that was designed, built, and owned by Carolyn Scott and her then husband James Scott.
World of Skates: The exterior was pretty much the same as it was Tri-City Skate World. So, it was a continuation. The plaza wall where the name was is Sand color with Red Fonts with a real tiny "of" compared to World and Skate letters which were large enough to read even from the road.
Norm's World of Skates: This name was "As Known As" World of Skates.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Renovations: N/A. Demolished: Still standing.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Cinderblocks and Wood - Walled Storefront - like Plaza.
Roof: Flatted.
Acres: N/A.
Organ: N/A.
10 Pins Bowling Lanes: None.
Duck Pins Bowling Lanes: None.
Candlestick Bowling Lanes: None.
Pocket Billiard Tables: N/A.
Amusement Rides: None.
Driving Range Slots: None.
Miniature Golf Course: None.
Arcade: (Number unknown)
Skee-Ball: N/A.
Fascination: None.
Restaurant: None.
Cocktail lounge: None.
Laser Tag: None.
Bounce Houses: None.
Bumper Cars: None.
Go-Kart: None.
Motel: None.
Swimming Pool: None.
Jungle Gym Playground: None.
Skate Park: None.
Operated: (Overall)-- 1980s to 2012(?)
Tri-City Skate World: 1980s to N/A.
World of Skates: N/A to 2012(?).
Norm's World of Skates: N/A to 2012(?).
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Tri-City Skate World: Divorced and filed bankruptcy.
World of Skates: N/A.
Norm's World of Skates: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also, photos/articles. Also send me any updates such as reopening, sold, name changes, or whatsoever occurred with this rink or any rinks. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at Dead-Rinks. Before you email, please state this rink name AND THE CITY AND STATE (or COUNTRY) so I can know where or what rink you are talking about. Thank you. You can also use this form.
Sources:
Email - Lynn (Several)
Manta - Tri City Skate World
Google
Real Skates Stories
NWI Times - 11 March 2011.
Facebook - Norm's World of Skates.
Date of issue: 01 September 2022.
For office use only:
Worth to visit:
None.
DISCLAIMER:
Dead-Rinks and Mark Falso are not responsible for your physical and legal injuries you may have caused. We do not endorse such illegal activities including breaking and entry of former rinks, malls, abandoned buildings, etc. Please always obey laws and regulations and property owner's signs. Some states allow purple paint on fence which means they even have guns on their property and have rights to shoot you. Please DO NOT attempt to enter property without permission!
For abandoned rinks, after you receive permission, do WEAR safety OSHA equipment including a safety glasses, pair of safety gloves, an orange vest or a jacket, and a construction helmet.
Thank you for understanding.
Second of all: The contents including words and photos above on this page and/or on any pages are purely educational entertainment purposes only. I provide what information from other websites, skaters, and operators and it may end up with different results between two (or more) sources. It is not our responsible for errors we caused. All sources are shown on each page. All opinions and statements of mine are also stated and are for purely educational entertainment only.
Rinks that are closed are considered dead. Rinks that are/were sold and with new management names new name(s), the former are considered dead. Previous operating rink that closed but came back years later, are considered dead because the reopening is considered rebooted, nothing to do with the former.
As for “For Office Only” is for my reasoning and private legal reason for that.
Any music associated with any YouTube or any other videos provided on Dead-Rinks are not the property of Dead-Rinks therefore we do not own the rights to the music.
All photos you submitted or we retrieved become property of Dead-Rinks and are watermarked but they are credited to you (or where the source is from). Thank you for understanding. To understand more about this, please go to this page: Disclaimer.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks, an International Commercial Archeology Preservation© Group. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 to 16. Deut. 32:7.
Later it was World of Skates rink also known as Norm's World of Skates according to Facebook.
NOTE: Before I go on, this profile was made on 01 September 2022 however, I received an email someone telling me there was an error and explained who owned the rink. And She said about Screamin' Wheels. She was originally saying that someone was in error about the owners of Tri-City Skate Skate World! Not her family's Tri-City Skate World. The other Tri-City I am referring to is in LOUISIANA! Please click on the Tri-City to see what I mean. Someone goofed up. So, I stood corrected with the owners, now I the other profile is being repaired but this is done first. Then repair the other one. Folks, please do check the facts before you complain that I made errors. What I mean by that is there are dozens of dozens of rinks with similar names. Most common are Skateland, Skate Country, United Skates of America, and America on Wheels rinks just to name a few. Thank you for understanding. Please read disclaimer for further details.
Now back to our regular profiling of this rink.
It was part of a plaza called The Commons Route 20. It is currently for a long time a dead-plaza! Actually, dying because less than half are still active stores. It is a Dying-Plaza!
This plaza is bit unusual because it has three long sections of plaza building. They have very unusual parking lot as well. They had steel posts so that people do not drive up on sidewalk or crash into the buildings. Fire codes must be different there that normally you cannot park in front of the building because of fire fighters need access completely direct from their fire engines, pumpers and ladder trucks.
Anyway, you can spot very easily where the rink was because of its non-uniform store front like any other businesses had with their stores in the plaza which easily spot-- the little horizonal rectangular windows and the extension compared to the next door which still display large planes of windows. like any storefront.
That was where the rink.
The signage I discovered on Google stayed there until between 2011 and 2013 because they showed those years on their website. It was World of Skates rink.
UPDATE! --31 August 2022.
Another email came this way and here is what she has to say.
This rink was opened in the 80s by my aunt Carolyn Scott and her then husband James Scott. My mom and her sisters managed and worked there. Me, my sisters, and my cousins spent a lot of time there… even slept there as our parents worked. My entire family traveled to different states to see other rinks and participated and witnessed that rink come together. I remember the floor right after it was layed. My mom bought all the birthday cakes from Glen Park Bakery and Strack & Vantils. As kids I remember my sister and cousins and I loved to sneak and watch the adults in the disco as they danced on adult nights being we were the only kids there. I loved the pizza; it was just like the school lunch pizza. It was closed because James and my aunt divorced and he filed bankruptcy on it. Those were good times;-)
Sorry to hear about your aunt and uncle. But I am glad you had great time during those days. I know the feeling. Specific dates? I have a few rink names. Specific floor material? Anything about the interior?
UPDATED! -- 01 September 2022.
I got a followed up email from the same person...
My family was the original builder/owner and the name was Tri-City Skate World. My family built out the Rink/Disco/Concession area and we’re the very 1st rink competing with (Sceamin') Wheels on the opposite end of 5th (Avenue).
Then a reply back.
Yes, Tri-City Skate World and Screamin' Wheels were both located in Gary, Indiana. That’s my home town. The were located on the opposite ends of 5th Ave. 5th Avenue is a street that stretches from east all the was west going into neighboring cities. On the Far East side it turns into a highway known as 12&20 and that’s where Screamin' Wheels was located. On the far west it was Tri-City Skate World.
Ah, thank you for the correction! This is where I discovered the mistake. Not me, Because she did not say what town and state in the very first email! This is why it is very important to state WHAT LOCATION IN THE SUBJECT of the email AND IN THE EMAIL FIRST PLACE. Never let me assume the wrong state! Otherwise, you would be blamed for the mistakes and other skaters and operators will complain to me that I made mistake. We are NOT responsible for mistakes YOU provides.
That is why when I read the first email she said this..
Whomever said it was owned by the “Guldrys” is mis informed. It was owned by James and Carolyn Scott
Thanks,
Lynn
My answer is correct for this--
The Guldrys owned the Tri-City Skate World IN LOUISIANA!
The Interior.
Tri-City Skate World: N/A.
World of Skates: N/A.
Norm's World of Skates: N/A.
The Exterior.
Tri-City Skate World: Free-Span Steel Trusses Cinderblocks and Wood - Walled Storefront - like Plaza with Flatted roof that was designed, built, and owned by Carolyn Scott and her then husband James Scott.
World of Skates: The exterior was pretty much the same as it was Tri-City Skate World. So, it was a continuation. The plaza wall where the name was is Sand color with Red Fonts with a real tiny "of" compared to World and Skate letters which were large enough to read even from the road.
Norm's World of Skates: This name was "As Known As" World of Skates.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Renovations: N/A. Demolished: Still standing.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Cinderblocks and Wood - Walled Storefront - like Plaza.
Roof: Flatted.
Acres: N/A.
Organ: N/A.
10 Pins Bowling Lanes: None.
Duck Pins Bowling Lanes: None.
Candlestick Bowling Lanes: None.
Pocket Billiard Tables: N/A.
Amusement Rides: None.
Driving Range Slots: None.
Miniature Golf Course: None.
Arcade: (Number unknown)
Skee-Ball: N/A.
Fascination: None.
Restaurant: None.
Cocktail lounge: None.
Laser Tag: None.
Bounce Houses: None.
Bumper Cars: None.
Go-Kart: None.
Motel: None.
Swimming Pool: None.
Jungle Gym Playground: None.
Skate Park: None.
Operated: (Overall)-- 1980s to 2012(?)
Tri-City Skate World: 1980s to N/A.
World of Skates: N/A to 2012(?).
Norm's World of Skates: N/A to 2012(?).
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Tri-City Skate World: Divorced and filed bankruptcy.
World of Skates: N/A.
Norm's World of Skates: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also, photos/articles. Also send me any updates such as reopening, sold, name changes, or whatsoever occurred with this rink or any rinks. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at Dead-Rinks. Before you email, please state this rink name AND THE CITY AND STATE (or COUNTRY) so I can know where or what rink you are talking about. Thank you. You can also use this form.
Sources:
Email - Lynn (Several)
Manta - Tri City Skate World
Real Skates Stories
NWI Times - 11 March 2011.
Facebook - Norm's World of Skates.
Date of issue: 01 September 2022.
For office use only:
Worth to visit:
None.
DISCLAIMER:
Dead-Rinks and Mark Falso are not responsible for your physical and legal injuries you may have caused. We do not endorse such illegal activities including breaking and entry of former rinks, malls, abandoned buildings, etc. Please always obey laws and regulations and property owner's signs. Some states allow purple paint on fence which means they even have guns on their property and have rights to shoot you. Please DO NOT attempt to enter property without permission!
For abandoned rinks, after you receive permission, do WEAR safety OSHA equipment including a safety glasses, pair of safety gloves, an orange vest or a jacket, and a construction helmet.
Thank you for understanding.
Second of all: The contents including words and photos above on this page and/or on any pages are purely educational entertainment purposes only. I provide what information from other websites, skaters, and operators and it may end up with different results between two (or more) sources. It is not our responsible for errors we caused. All sources are shown on each page. All opinions and statements of mine are also stated and are for purely educational entertainment only.
Rinks that are closed are considered dead. Rinks that are/were sold and with new management names new name(s), the former are considered dead. Previous operating rink that closed but came back years later, are considered dead because the reopening is considered rebooted, nothing to do with the former.
As for “For Office Only” is for my reasoning and private legal reason for that.
Any music associated with any YouTube or any other videos provided on Dead-Rinks are not the property of Dead-Rinks therefore we do not own the rights to the music.
All photos you submitted or we retrieved become property of Dead-Rinks and are watermarked but they are credited to you (or where the source is from). Thank you for understanding. To understand more about this, please go to this page: Disclaimer.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks, an International Commercial Archeology Preservation© Group. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 to 16. Deut. 32:7.