Valle Vista Skating Center 29288 Valle Vista Ave, Hayward, CA. Noticed the rink with that yellowish house upon the hill above behind the rink? See the Google Maps to compare. Source: Flickr member Michael Van Vleet (signalstation).
Valle Vista Skating Center 29288 Valle Vista Ave, Hayward, CA. This was during a skating competition. Pictured is Ami "Tsunami" skating in a couple figure skating. This happened in 1993. Behind the couple, it looks like a wall but behind there was another rink that is a roller floor for little beginners (Source: Diane). Photo and information Source: Ami "Tsunami" F.
Valle Vista Skating Center 29288 Valle Vista Ave, Hayward, CA. This was during a skating competition. Pictured is Laurie Nixon, Ami's Mother in dark dress with white on it in 1993. Source: Ami "Tsunami" F.
Valle Vista Skating Center 29288 Valle Vista Ave, Hayward, CA. This was during a skating competition. Pictured is Laurie Nixon, Ami's Mother in dark dress with white on it in 1993. Source: Ami "Tsunami" F.
Valle Vista Skating Center 29288 Valle Vista Ave, Hayward, CA. Noticed the rink with that yellowish house upon the hill above behind the rink? See the Google Maps to compare. Source: Flickr member Michael Van Vleet (signalstation).
Valle Vista Skating Center 29288 Valle Vista Ave, Hayward, CA. Noticed the rink with that yellowish house upon the hill above behind the rink? See the Google Maps to compare. Source: Flickr member Michael Van Vleet (signalstation).
Valle Vista Skating Center 29288 Valle Vista Ave, Hayward, CA. The fire totally gutted the rink. The interior was mostly wood. Strangely, like the first photo, it only showed HALF of the rink building. What ever happened to the other part? Why can't anyone take the picture of entire building? Was it something else next door? Source: East Bay Times.
Valle Vista Skating Center 29288 Valle Vista Ave, Hayward, CA. The fire totally gutted the rink. The interior was mostly wood. Strangely, like the first photo, it only showed HALF of the rink building. What ever happened to the other part? Why can't anyone take the picture of entire building? Was it something else next door? Source: East Bay Times.
Valle Vista Skating Center 29288 Valle Vista Ave, Hayward, CA. The fire totally gutted the rink. The interior was mostly wood. Strangely, like the first photo, it only showed HALF of the rink building. What ever happened to the other part? Why can't anyone take the picture of entire building? Was it something else next door? Source: East Bay Times.
Valle Vista Skating Center 29288 Valle Vista Ave, Hayward, CA. Taken in 2007. Before the fire. Source: Google.
Valle Vista Skating Center 29288 Valle Vista Ave, Hayward, CA. Noticed the before and after of more recent times? The fire in 2007 really destroyed it because the Google Map in 2008 showed it was already cleared and demolished after the fire. Source: Google.
Valle Vista Skating Center 29288 Valle Vista Ave, Hayward, CA. Noticed the before and after of more recent times? The fire in 2007 really destroyed it because the Google Map in 2008 showed it was already cleared and demolished after the fire. Source: Google.
Valle Vista Skating Center 29288 Valle Vista Ave, Hayward, CA. Was this the original sign for the Valle Vista Skating Center? The newer one is shown on the right in the 2007 Google Map photo shown on top 6th photo. It was different location. It was kept on there for years even they had redone the curb by adding sidewalk as the community there was growing with new apartment complexes cross the street from the former rink. Down the road, the bar and old buildings were torn down as well as a cinderblock built building on the corner also was demolished. That area really revived with cleanness and newness. Source: Google.
Valle Vista Skating Center 29288 Valle Vista Ave, Hayward, CA
This skating rink had a good history as it goes along with the times and what more interesting was that the rink was architecturally different. From observation it had two arches! It was like a fused of two Quonset Hut roof line with Hip roof surrounding the front and partial of the sides. If it was twice, then likely twice the rinks. But there is no report saying there were TWO rinks but ONE rink.
The rink was built in 1950. Professional skater Danny McNeice who was known in skating community as the “Johnny Appleseed of Roller Skating," had the rink built in 1950. It was quite popular location for skaters likely because of the popularity of skating in the Mid-Century to around 1970s due to the popularity of roller skating.
But in later years, people’s interests changed and that having said, roller rink attendance began to decline. So in 2003, Valle Vista Skating Center closed its doors. It stood vacant for several years. There was at one point a proposal to redevelop the site into senior housing, however the project never progressed.
Sadly in 2008, the building burned to the ground. The Fire Department believed that the fire was likely started by transients who were known to occupy the building. Today, word on the street is that there will be a major new park and developments built on and around the Valle Vista site.
Today, it sits empty according to Google Map. They said it would be a park. It sits next door to a fenced up an abandoned automobile repair shop and sales. You can still see the building print on the ground. Also on the same property using Map Google dating in January 2018 that the now demolished bar, The Dirty Bird Lounge was housed there on the same property. If you want to see on the map, I saved the picture and compared to the more updated which was taken on later date because of a new apartment complex cross the street. And the Dirty Bird bar is gone. All three are gone and the town is rebuilding with housing surrounding the neighborhood. I have evidence where exactly the rink was located thanks to the photos of the rink when it was still standing at the time and you look upon the hill you see a housing development that has been around for long time. You can see a yellow house on a corner and the way the rolling hills looked. The original showed three major hills. The newer photos showed the middle hill has been eradicated for some mining purposes or for expansion of development in that neighborhood.
UPDATE! -- 04 October 2021.
***The Google Map showed it still sits empty. In fact, it is showing illegal dumping because I can see in the Google Map the dumpster dumped garbage bags on the same site where the old rink is. Already built new apartment complex cross the street from the old rink a new modern 4 story large apartment complex. Very Modern Minimalist style and Graying of America look. Beautiful architecture for that apartment but huge difference as you go through Google.***
The facility was around 50,000 Square Feet! That was huge according to officials. I consider this was one of the largest rink in the world.
UPDATE! -- 04 October 2021.
I received an email from Ami "Tsunami" F. who was a champion skater in California at the time skated a few roller rinks including this rink. Good thing I can see the interior. A little difficult but they were there.
The fire spread quite quick. Likely someone called in much later because of the way the fire was going and the fire engines arrived in FOUR minutes after the alarm rang. 36 firefighters fought the fire. When the first engine arrived, the fire was already gutting the entire front of the rink. 3 alarms (4 fire departments) fought the fire within 45 minutes and it was out by then because of the nature of wood was quite old and the dry air of California.
UPDATE! -- 18 November 2021.
I just received this email from Diane Interesting and more details. Now I know they had two rinks. the 2nd rink was a practice floor! Read her email here. More details.
When I was in Jr. High (1980-1981), we used to have skating parties there. For a while I would go with friends on Thursday nights. Journey, REO, Tom Petty. Giant pickles, nachos, and Pepsi. Shiny lip gloss, feathered hair, and dittos! As we said back in the day, it was “hella” fun!
Valle Vista did have two rinks. But probably not like you are thinking. It looks like the wall opposite the entrance is what is behind Ami and her partner. If that is true, then the white arch to the left of the dark section used to be an opening. That is where the “baby rink” was. It was very small. It was just for mom’s to have a safe place for the little ones. I feel like the size of the arch was pretty much the size of the baby rink.
In these pictures, everything looks brown. I remember the wood of the skating floor was a warm honey color and had black circles painted on it. Practice circles in the middle, and numbered circles around the outer edges of the floor (for musical circles and hokey pokey). The floors, skate counter, DJ booth, half-walls around the rink, benches attached to the half-walls and even possibly portions of the main walls were covered in short, patterned, dark-green carpet. I drew a quick picture for you.
I think it was like $1.60 to get in. It’s hard to remember. I’m sorry that I have no photographs to share with you, no iPhones back then. 🙂 I drew a quick picture for you and I have attached it. I hope this helps or is at least interesting to you. It was fun to stumble across this site.
Wow, two floors. OK, yeah, some large rinks had those two floors. I remember the rink I attended and worked there had two floors. One regular and the other the practice floor. I just did a profile yesterday that they had a good sized practice floor next to the once world's largest rink in Cleveland, Ohio. This rink here had regular rink and a tiny rink for toddlers. Remember those days, no "walkers" as we all call that.. those are called Skate-Mates. I call that strollers as well.
Thank you so much Diane! Junior High at that time, you are like a year younger than me! I was in high school that year! Graduated in 1983. Sorry, I missed asking you to couple skate with me back in the early 80s. I was 2500 miles away from you though. Haha. ;)
Picture? I did not see any pictures and no attachments. Hmm.
Interior:
It had non-painted, urethane coated Maple wood floor in FAN format and it had beautiful interior with arched walls. I am not sure if that was wood or bricks. They look like they had a large rental counter, spacious area in background behind the rink in those three photos Ami send me. She was in the first photo I listed skating in white dress.
Exterior:
The architecture was very unique! Double D-Roof design that was featured. It was also called Segmental Arch however, the front and rear makes it like.. a "Segmental Arch Hip" That is a hybrid between Segmental Arch and Hip roof design but all curved.
Of course you see the roof before the fire that they had a lot of patch up job to repair the roof rather than replace it entirely. It could have best be replaced entirely to keep it neat looking.
The rest of the building was very 1960s look.
Rink Size: N/A (2 rink floors - main and practice.) Floor: Non-painted Urethane coated, Appear to be Maple. Floor Layout: N/A
Building Size: 50,000 SF* Built: 1950 *One of world's largest. Largest in West Coast US. Demolished: Fire
Type of Building: Free Span Steel Double D-roofs Building.
Roof: Double D-roofs
Acres: N/A
Operated: 1950 to 2003.
Reason for Closure: Declining attendance due to skaters, wandering interests.
Wanted: Information regarding Photographs of the rink interior, exact date of open. Did they arrest the arsonist?
Sources: Facebook,
SFGate,
East Bay Times,
Web Urbanist,
Email from Ami.
Email from Diane.
Date of Issue: 2019. Updated: 04 October 2021. Updated: 18 November 2021.
For Office Only: 14
© Copyrighted by Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.
This skating rink had a good history as it goes along with the times and what more interesting was that the rink was architecturally different. From observation it had two arches! It was like a fused of two Quonset Hut roof line with Hip roof surrounding the front and partial of the sides. If it was twice, then likely twice the rinks. But there is no report saying there were TWO rinks but ONE rink.
The rink was built in 1950. Professional skater Danny McNeice who was known in skating community as the “Johnny Appleseed of Roller Skating," had the rink built in 1950. It was quite popular location for skaters likely because of the popularity of skating in the Mid-Century to around 1970s due to the popularity of roller skating.
But in later years, people’s interests changed and that having said, roller rink attendance began to decline. So in 2003, Valle Vista Skating Center closed its doors. It stood vacant for several years. There was at one point a proposal to redevelop the site into senior housing, however the project never progressed.
Sadly in 2008, the building burned to the ground. The Fire Department believed that the fire was likely started by transients who were known to occupy the building. Today, word on the street is that there will be a major new park and developments built on and around the Valle Vista site.
Today, it sits empty according to Google Map. They said it would be a park. It sits next door to a fenced up an abandoned automobile repair shop and sales. You can still see the building print on the ground. Also on the same property using Map Google dating in January 2018 that the now demolished bar, The Dirty Bird Lounge was housed there on the same property. If you want to see on the map, I saved the picture and compared to the more updated which was taken on later date because of a new apartment complex cross the street. And the Dirty Bird bar is gone. All three are gone and the town is rebuilding with housing surrounding the neighborhood. I have evidence where exactly the rink was located thanks to the photos of the rink when it was still standing at the time and you look upon the hill you see a housing development that has been around for long time. You can see a yellow house on a corner and the way the rolling hills looked. The original showed three major hills. The newer photos showed the middle hill has been eradicated for some mining purposes or for expansion of development in that neighborhood.
UPDATE! -- 04 October 2021.
***The Google Map showed it still sits empty. In fact, it is showing illegal dumping because I can see in the Google Map the dumpster dumped garbage bags on the same site where the old rink is. Already built new apartment complex cross the street from the old rink a new modern 4 story large apartment complex. Very Modern Minimalist style and Graying of America look. Beautiful architecture for that apartment but huge difference as you go through Google.***
The facility was around 50,000 Square Feet! That was huge according to officials. I consider this was one of the largest rink in the world.
UPDATE! -- 04 October 2021.
I received an email from Ami "Tsunami" F. who was a champion skater in California at the time skated a few roller rinks including this rink. Good thing I can see the interior. A little difficult but they were there.
The fire spread quite quick. Likely someone called in much later because of the way the fire was going and the fire engines arrived in FOUR minutes after the alarm rang. 36 firefighters fought the fire. When the first engine arrived, the fire was already gutting the entire front of the rink. 3 alarms (4 fire departments) fought the fire within 45 minutes and it was out by then because of the nature of wood was quite old and the dry air of California.
UPDATE! -- 18 November 2021.
I just received this email from Diane Interesting and more details. Now I know they had two rinks. the 2nd rink was a practice floor! Read her email here. More details.
When I was in Jr. High (1980-1981), we used to have skating parties there. For a while I would go with friends on Thursday nights. Journey, REO, Tom Petty. Giant pickles, nachos, and Pepsi. Shiny lip gloss, feathered hair, and dittos! As we said back in the day, it was “hella” fun!
Valle Vista did have two rinks. But probably not like you are thinking. It looks like the wall opposite the entrance is what is behind Ami and her partner. If that is true, then the white arch to the left of the dark section used to be an opening. That is where the “baby rink” was. It was very small. It was just for mom’s to have a safe place for the little ones. I feel like the size of the arch was pretty much the size of the baby rink.
In these pictures, everything looks brown. I remember the wood of the skating floor was a warm honey color and had black circles painted on it. Practice circles in the middle, and numbered circles around the outer edges of the floor (for musical circles and hokey pokey). The floors, skate counter, DJ booth, half-walls around the rink, benches attached to the half-walls and even possibly portions of the main walls were covered in short, patterned, dark-green carpet. I drew a quick picture for you.
I think it was like $1.60 to get in. It’s hard to remember. I’m sorry that I have no photographs to share with you, no iPhones back then. 🙂 I drew a quick picture for you and I have attached it. I hope this helps or is at least interesting to you. It was fun to stumble across this site.
Wow, two floors. OK, yeah, some large rinks had those two floors. I remember the rink I attended and worked there had two floors. One regular and the other the practice floor. I just did a profile yesterday that they had a good sized practice floor next to the once world's largest rink in Cleveland, Ohio. This rink here had regular rink and a tiny rink for toddlers. Remember those days, no "walkers" as we all call that.. those are called Skate-Mates. I call that strollers as well.
Thank you so much Diane! Junior High at that time, you are like a year younger than me! I was in high school that year! Graduated in 1983. Sorry, I missed asking you to couple skate with me back in the early 80s. I was 2500 miles away from you though. Haha. ;)
Picture? I did not see any pictures and no attachments. Hmm.
Interior:
It had non-painted, urethane coated Maple wood floor in FAN format and it had beautiful interior with arched walls. I am not sure if that was wood or bricks. They look like they had a large rental counter, spacious area in background behind the rink in those three photos Ami send me. She was in the first photo I listed skating in white dress.
Exterior:
The architecture was very unique! Double D-Roof design that was featured. It was also called Segmental Arch however, the front and rear makes it like.. a "Segmental Arch Hip" That is a hybrid between Segmental Arch and Hip roof design but all curved.
Of course you see the roof before the fire that they had a lot of patch up job to repair the roof rather than replace it entirely. It could have best be replaced entirely to keep it neat looking.
The rest of the building was very 1960s look.
Rink Size: N/A (2 rink floors - main and practice.) Floor: Non-painted Urethane coated, Appear to be Maple. Floor Layout: N/A
Building Size: 50,000 SF* Built: 1950 *One of world's largest. Largest in West Coast US. Demolished: Fire
Type of Building: Free Span Steel Double D-roofs Building.
Roof: Double D-roofs
Acres: N/A
Operated: 1950 to 2003.
Reason for Closure: Declining attendance due to skaters, wandering interests.
Wanted: Information regarding Photographs of the rink interior, exact date of open. Did they arrest the arsonist?
Sources: Facebook,
SFGate,
East Bay Times,
Web Urbanist,
Email from Ami.
Email from Diane.
Date of Issue: 2019. Updated: 04 October 2021. Updated: 18 November 2021.
For Office Only: 14
© Copyrighted by Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.