New Halifax roller skating rink spins toward June opening as anticipation grows

Halifax, grab your skates: there’s a new roller rink in town and it’s already creating a buzz online.

Upshaw’s Roller Dome in Spryfield has yet to open to the public, but Haligonians young and old are eagerly awaiting its arrival.

Owner Shane Upshaw said he didn’t expect the response.

“I knew it was going to be a little popular, but nothing to the extent that it’s came of,” he said.

Upshaw said he decided to open a roller rink in late February after struggling to find a date night option for him and his fiancée.

Less than two months later, the rink is on track to open in June.

The rink’s Facebook group launched in March and already has 4,000 members. The anticipation is palpable among the group’s members, including many with fond memories of Nova Scotia’s roller disco scene in decades past.

One Facebook user commented on a post: “49 years young here and haven’t skated since Wheelies in Sackville! My daughter loves roller skating now so we are pumped.”

Another group member wrote, “Got new wheels on my 43 yr old skates to get ready.”

Upshaw said construction is nearly finished on the 6,500-square-foot rink, with plans to add a canteen and a halfpipe. It’s located at the Spryfield Shopping Centre, right next to a bowling alley.

Skates are available to rent, but people can also bring their own, and helmets are required for kids.

While pricing is not yet determined, Upshaw said the public can expect to pay around $12 for youth and $18 for adults. He said the rink will offer private skates and seniors’ nights.

Upshaw said he wants to create a space for everyone to enjoy, but is particularly invested in supporting youth.

“There’s a lot of things going on right now and we’d like to get the children off the streets and into something that is healthy, and they can spend their time doing something more constructive than just going out and hanging around,” he said.

by Global News