Riverdale Rink + Skaters From the Past

[rwsz]

Originally Posted by brikkee

my family did own a roller rink for 70 years

wow Brikkee your family owned a rink for about 70 years, was it in the ri, mass or ct area, which rink?

[brikkee]

it was in Rhode Island the name as Riverdale Roller World my greatgrand dad started it back in the 1930's some thing like that they build a new buliding then they called it new riverdale but its been shut down for 10 years now but i hear its 4sale again wish i had the money its a great floorso i've been skating at these rinks every week doing what they call jam-skate now but i call it club dancing on roller skates with a little frestyle now till spring comes along

http://www.silvercityskateland.com/
http://www.galaxyrollerrink.com/
http://www.skateland.com/
http://www.oceanskate.com/

[rwsz]

Originally Posted by brikkee

it was in Rhode Island the name as Riverdale Roller World my greatgrand dad started it back in the 1930's some thing like that they build a new buliding then they called it new riverdale but its been shut down for 10 years now but i hear its 4sale again wish i had the money its a great floorso i've been skating at these rinks every week doing what they call jam-skate now but i call it club dancing on roller skates with a little frestyle now till spring comes along

http://www.silvercityskateland.com/
http://www.galaxyrollerrink.com/
http://www.skateland.com/
http://www.oceanskate.com/

Hi Brikkee i though u might say riverdale or norwood as they were both around a long time. riverdale has a great rotunda floor but last i heard when it was a rink there were puddles on it and holes in the roof and it was to be condemned. maybe it was bad management the past few years before it closed or a bad location for those years. could also be the dying skating, i wonder how it would do now that rollerskating is a bit reborn due to movies, videos and also commercials contanting it. i been there a few times myself, funny they didnt hold competitions there in the 90s at all. did they hold them there before that??? my son had a lesson once there with ray macdonald. ray isnt teaching now and my son just retired. we skated out of whitman and then silver city for 11 years and the last 2 were at whitman, carousel. enjoy your skating once again and keep up the post on the boards.

[chuckboucher]

Originally Posted by brikkee

it was in Rhode Island the name as Riverdale Roller World my greatgrand dad started it back in the 1930's some thing like that they build a new buliding then they called it new riverdale but its been shut down for 10 years now but i hear its 4sale again wish i had the money its a great floorso i've been skating at these rinks every week doing what they call jam-skate now but i call it club dancing on roller skates with a little frestyle now till spring comes along

I was also saddened when the Durneys sold the old Riverdale (then called Roller Magic, I believe). The last time I skated in that rink was in early 2003, a month or so before it was sold. You're right about the floor, it was one of the best, if not THE best floor I have ever skated on. It was the largest floor in the area and the most expensive for the time it was laid down in the 60's.

It was sold off as a warehouse, but they retained the floor. I had also heard that it was up for sale. I actually pass through that area twice weekly on the trip from Blackstone, MA to Narragansett, RI for speed practice. West Warwick is only 30 minutes from my house and I really miss that place.

As far as Norwood is concerned, I actually lived in Norwood from 2000-2003 and know that the old Roll-Land rink that rwsz spoke of, that was owned by Charlie, was sold and converted to be a fitness facility in the early 2000's. (I think it's one of the Workout World (WOW) chain now.) ANother great floor.

I skated quad speed in both rinks, when Riverdale was owned by the Young brothers (along with another huge rink in West Bridgewater, MA). There was a huge invitational speed meet every May in Norwood.

ah, memories.............

[brikkee]

Originally Posted by chuckboucher

I was also saddened when the Durneys sold the old Riverdale (then called Roller Magic, I believe). The last time I skated in that rink was in early 2003, a month or so before it was sold. You're right about the floor, it was one of the best, if not THE best floor I have ever skated on. It was the largest floor in the area and the most expensive for the time it was laid down in the 60's.

It was sold off as a warehouse, but they retained the floor. I had also heard that it was up for sale. I actually pass through that area twice weekly on the trip from Blackstone, MA to Narragansett, RI for speed practice. West Warwick is only 30 minutes from my house and I really miss that place.

As far as Norwood is concerned, I actually lived in Norwood from 2000-2003 and know that the old Roll-Land rink that rwsz spoke of, that was owned by Charlie, was sold and converted to be a fitness facility in the early 2000's. (I think it's one of the Workout World (WOW) chain now.) ANother great floor.

I skated quad speed in both rinks, when Riverdale was owned by the Young brothers (along with another huge rink in West Bridgewater, MA). There was a huge invitational speed meet every May in Norwood.

ah, memories.............

Well, i am the son of Richard G young S.R they use to call me Ricky and my last name is Young and my granddad owned both those rinks not my dad and uncle but thats a hole other story what happened and yes the warehouse took both those buliding over there was a rink on the 3rd floor of the old buliding too

and norwood lol o god i hated that rink i remember the good old red devils with the two groves in them ball bearing got stuck in them on that floor and that was about the time wood wheels went out haha

when i was going to start racing again and try the in-lines i started doing it with team risk out of Narragansett, RI but that didnt last to long cause i had no one to help me

[brikkee]

Originally Posted by rwsz

Hi Brikkee i though u might say riverdale or norwood as they were both around a long time. riverdale has a great rotunda floor but last i heard when it was a rink there were puddles on it and holes in the roof and it was to be condemned. maybe it was bad management the past few years before it closed or a bad location for those years. could also be the dying skating, i wonder how it would do now that rollerskating is a bit reborn due to movies, videos and also commercials contanting it. i been there a few times myself, funny they didnt hold competitions there in the 90s at all. did they hold them there before that??? my son had a lesson once there with ray macdonald. ray isnt teaching now and my son just retired. we skated out of whitman and then silver city for 11 years and the last 2 were at whitman, carousel. enjoy your skating once again and keep up the post on the boards.

yeah im sure it would need a new roof but that floor was made too floot just in case the river flooded it out. i just heard yesterday the floor was still looking good. bad management yeah Durneys didn't care about that place.i'm just hoping someone reopens it again and fixes it up but i dont think thats going to happen.

in the 90's they sold it bye then i think but before that yes competitions where big there it was 1 of the best floors so every one loved it there
ray macdonald was a awsome freestyle couch he had this 1 kid named keith all i can say is wow he did a triple every thing and thank you its been fun getting back into it with my family but how things have changed and hurt now

[chuckboucher]

Originally Posted by brikkee

Well, i am the son of Richard G young S.R they use to call me Ricky and my last name is Young and my granddad owned both those rinks not my dad and uncle but thats a hole other story what happened and yes the warehouse took both those buliding over there was a rink on the 3rd floor of the old buliding too

and norwood lol o god i hated that rink i remember the good old red devils with the two groves in them ball bearing got stuck in them on that floor and that was about the time wood wheels went out haha

when i was going to start racing again and try the in-lines i started doing it with team risk out of Narragansett, RI but that didnt last to long cause i had no one to help me

I skated at some of the leagues meets in West Warwick when their club was known as RISSC (Rhode Island Speed Skating Club) and Bob Principe (hope I didn't butcher his name too badly) was the coach and NESL league president. I actually dated his daughter, Lori for one season in the early 80's.

I'm sure you remember the West Bridgewater rink as well, since you're part of the family that owned it.

As far as Team RISK goes, they're a pretty good group of people. You say no one helped you. Does that mean the no one on the team helped you? Or you have no one to help you outside of team practices? I'm at 75% of their indoor practices now, so I wouldn't let that happen. I'm a nice guy...

[brikkee]

Originally Posted by chuckboucher

I skated at some of the leagues meets in West Warwick when their club was known as RISSC (Rhode Island Speed Skating Club) and Bob Principe (hope I didn't butcher his name too badly) was the coach and NESL league president. I actually dated his daughter, Lori for one season in the early 80's.

I'm sure you remember the West Bridgewater rink as well, since you're part of the family that owned it.

As far as Team RISK goes, they're a pretty good group of people. You say no one helped you. Does that mean the no one on the team helped you? Or you have no one to help you outside of team practices? I'm at 75% of their indoor practices now, so I wouldn't let that happen. I'm a nice guy...

Bob Principe lol old name yeah bob was a good guy.if u remember bob you have to remember me i was the little kid that every one tryed to catch lol.My dad is all ways looking to talk to some old skaters that skated at the rink he has a buss doing embroidery now the name of his place i R.I. threds in coventry he makes custom T-shirts,etc... you should give him a call. West Bridgewater rink yeah i didn't spend to much time at that rink my uncle ran that one.As far as team risk i didnt say they where bad people.Maybe i shouldn't say they didn't help me. but yeah paul helped me and chip and a few others. but i had no one to work with so i kinda felt alone.i remember trying to catch horhay(butcher his name)and saying dam im to old for this that was it i was done. but now im going to go slow and do some of this jam-skating put some of my old quad tricks into a shuffe skate and work on my legs and who knows i might race master man some day again

[brikkee]

hear one for you bobbys roller way

[chuckboucher]

Originally Posted by brikkee

Bob Principe lol old name yeah bob was a good guy.if u remember bob you have to remember me i was the little kid that every one tryed to catch lol.My dad is all ways looking to talk to some old skaters that skated at the rink he has a buss doing embroidery now the name of his place i R.I. threds in coventry he makes custom T-shirts,etc... you should give him a call. West Bridgewater rink yeah i didn't spend to much time at that rink my uncle ran that one.As far as team risk i didnt say they where bad people.Maybe i shouldn't say they didn't help me. but yeah paul helped me and chip and a few others. but i had no one to work with so i kinda felt alone.i remember trying to catch horhay(butcher his name)and saying dam im to old for this that was it i was done. but now im going to go slow and do some of this jam-skating put some of my old quad tricks into a shuffe skate and work on my legs and who knows i might race master man some day again

OK, now I get it. Team RISK are a great group of people. I'll bet there are some (possibly me) that are at your level. And as for Jorge, you're talking about Jorge Botero (http://www.skatelog.com/skaters/jorge-botero/) who is probably in the top 20 fastest inline skaters ON THE PLANET, so it's no wonder you feltold...LOL

Let's see if I can drop some more RISSC member's names (reaches back into long-term memory)
Kathy & Lori Principe (of course)
Maureen Parillo
David Parente
Roy ???? (I forgot his last name, tall, lanky Master Man)

Somehow, that's all I can muster. Those were closest to my age group at the time, which was Sophomore Men. Kathy skated Senior, Maureen & Lori skated Junior, and David Sophomore.

I actually met up with Gary Boreham (who used to coach the Norwood team) at the Silver City rink in Taunton a few years back and he showed me some early 80's league meet programs. I was good friends with Charles (Chahles, for those form the east coast) Federico, one of his best skaters. (We were Chuck & Chuck) The funny thing about one of the programs that Gary showed me was that it had MY WRITING IN IT!! I was stunned. Talk about small world.

[pastskater]

My family owned two rinks in Oregon a very long time ago.

The states or is it a CA thing? Seem to just be so many closed. I look at Europe and wonder what the heck? Is it just a USA thing?

Any Input?
Anyone?

[rwsz]

Originally Posted by brikkee

yeah im sure it would need a new roof but that floor was made too floot just in case the river flooded it out. i just heard yesterday the floor was still looking good. bad management yeah Durneys didn't care about that place.i'm just hoping someone reopens it again and fixes it up but i dont think thats going to happen.

in the 90's they sold it bye then i think but before that yes competitions where big there it was 1 of the best floors so every one loved it there
ray macdonald was a awsome freestyle couch he had this 1 kid named keith all i can say is wow he did a triple every thing and thank you its been fun getting back into it with my family but how things have changed and hurt now

Hi Brik you are talking about Heath Medeiros he went on to win worlds 3 times in world class mens singles. hes doing well i hear and just working as a normal person lol. it was a great floor, it would be nice to see it open again and hold speed and artistic meets there.

[rwsz]

Originally Posted by brikkee

Bob Principe lol old name yeah bob was a good guy.if u remember bob you have to remember me i was the little kid that every one tryed to catch lol.My dad is all ways looking to talk to some old skaters that skated at the rink he has a buss doing embroidery now the name of his place i R.I. threds in coventry he makes custom T-shirts,etc... you should give him a call. West Bridgewater rink yeah i didn't spend to much time at that rink my uncle ran that one.As far as team risk i didnt say they where bad people.Maybe i shouldn't say they didn't help me. but yeah paul helped me and chip and a few others. but i had no one to work with so i kinda felt alone.i remember trying to catch horhay(butcher his name)and saying dam im to old for this that was it i was done. but now im going to go slow and do some of this jam-skating put some of my old quad tricks into a shuffe skate and work on my legs and who knows i might race master man some day again

as good as the warwick floor was riverdale in west bridgewater had to have the worst floor in the region. it was waffer board and it warped and would have waves in it lol. it was a fun rink and had a practice area that was nice. it didnt stay open for too many years though, too much fighting with too many people involved i guess.

[brikkee]

Originally Posted by chuckboucher

OK, now I get it. Team RISK are a great group of people. I'll bet there are some (possibly me) that are at your level. And as for Jorge, you're talking about Jorge Botero (http://www.skatelog.com/skaters/jorge-botero/) who is probably in the top 20 fastest inline skaters ON THE PLANET, so it's no wonder you feltold...LOL

Let's see if I can drop some more RISSC member's names (reaches back into long-term memory)
Kathy & Lori Principe (of course)
Maureen Parillo
David Parente
Roy ???? (I forgot his last name, tall, lanky Master Man)

Somehow, that's all I can muster. Those were closest to my age group at the time, which was Sophomore Men. Kathy skated Senior, Maureen & Lori skated Junior, and David Sophomore.

I actually met up with Gary Boreham (who used to coach the Norwood team) at the Silver City rink in Taunton a few years back and he showed me some early 80's league meet programs. I was good friends with Charles (Chahles, for those form the east coast) Federico, one of his best skaters. (We were Chuck & Chuck) The funny thing about one of the programs that Gary showed me was that it had MY WRITING IN IT!! I was stunned. Talk about small world.

lol Jorge Botero yeah thats him all right awsome in-line skater blew bye me like i was standing still.I'm huffin and puffin ready to drop dead and he comes bye like hes on a sunday skate after that i was like man i have no chance at this. He had a brouther too i think that was a awsome skater. I heard some bad things about Jorge last week and i couldn't beleave it. i'd rather not say on hear but all in all he is a nice guy and all way treated me with respect and ill never forget him after making me eat his dust.
It was RIFSC then they change it into 2 clubs but
Kathy & Lori Principe
Maureen Parillo
David Parente
Yeah i was a freshman back then hear a few more names that might ring some bells jason auston ,greg bramble, barry loveless,may lanty,tweety, lol i could go on and on
Charles Federico haha yeah he was a good old timer too i skated with his brother chris alot

[brikkee]

Originally Posted by rwsz

as good as the warwick floor was riverdale in west bridgewater had to have the worst floor in the region. it was waffer board and it warped and would have waves in it lol. it was a fun rink and had a practice area that was nice. it didnt stay open for too many years though, too much fighting with too many people involved i guess.

No my uncle lost the hole rink on 1 hand of blackjack is what im hearing but anyways
and yes Heath Medeiros was his name o man this kid could jump,spin,u name it,awsome freestyle skater. ill bet you he still be doing it today if he got paid to do it.

[chuckboucher]

Originally Posted by brikkee

It was RIFSC then they change it into 2 clubs but
Kathy & Lori Principe
Maureen Parillo
David Parente
Yeah i was a freshman back then hear a few more names that might ring some bells jason auston ,greg bramble, barry loveless,may lanty,tweety, lol i could go on and on
Charles Federico haha yeah he was a good old timer too i skated with his brother chris alot

Now that you've said the names, I remember them all. Do you remember Russel King, that skated for the Western Mass Speed Club? That was the club I was on. Man, could he fly. I think he's around your age. He ended up playing football in high school and ruined his health by doing steroids.

Definitely a small world.

[rwsz]

Originally Posted by brikkee

No my uncle lost the hole rink on 1 hand of blackjack is what im hearing but anyways
and yes Heath Medeiros was his name o man this kid could jump,spin,u name it,awsome freestyle skater. ill bet you he still be doing it today if he got paid to do it.

i know a couple of people that worked at riverdale w bridgewater and i guess they couldnt agree, teddy young and the others, i cant remember their names lol it was so long ago. i didnt hear the blackjack one lol.

yes heath was great and could do it all, he might still be doing it if money was involved but he never really coached either. he tried to come back a few years after he quit, we were in warwick and he was there with ray and he said its too much work lol. he never had to work hard he was a natural for sure. he also put on a lot of weight at that time. not sure what he is now, but i hear hes bartending and working at a tanning salon.

[brikkee]

Russel King yes i do,he was a little older than me. allway wounder what happen to him.is that why his legs where 12x the size of mine lol. Anouther ones i always woundered was mark dimond, dennis miller,tom and lisa richie, tommy stevens,and mouse brothers dontay and tony they wasn't on the team but where the fastest at the time.I still talk to mumbles (chuck)and sue woodard every now and then. The funny thing about this is if u know all these guy i bet you i could find some old pic of you in a box.My dad still have a lot of those old team pic. i dont know if you would be interrestard but every now and then i look at mine and say dam what the hell was i wearing and look at my skates and say o god those things look like like 50lbs each .I married and art skater out of the rink vanessa antonalli i dont know she might have came after all these peeps but yeah we been frineds now for 25 years and married 10 years now. We have been working on a shuffel together and its kinda fun doing it cause we both still love to skate and her dance skills and my crazyness we have a blast even know where rusty.we go to ocean club (ocean skate)every thusday night because no one was there but now with this new roller derby they have every sunday night a lot of new girls there. i try helping these new girls skaters learn to skate the basic.Its kinda funny too.

[Kathie Fry]

every now and then i look at mine and say dam what the hell was i wearing and look at my skates and say o god those things look like like 50lbs each

OK Brikkee, now we want to see some of those pictures!

- Kathie

[chuckboucher]

Originally Posted by brikkee

Russel King yes i do,he was a little older than me. allway wounder what happen to him.is that why his legs where 12x the size of mine lol. Anouther ones i always woundered was mark dimond, dennis miller,tom and lisa richie, tommy stevens,and mouse brothers dontay and tony they wasn't on the team but where the fastest at the time.I still talk to mumbles (chuck)and sue woodard every now and then. The funny thing about this is if u know all these guy i bet you i could find some old pic of you in a box.My dad still have a lot of those old team pic. i dont know if you would be interrestard but every now and then i look at mine and say dam what the hell was i wearing and look at my skates and say o god those things look like like 50lbs each .I married and art skater out of the rink vanessa antonalli i dont know she might have came after all these peeps but yeah we been frineds now for 25 years and married 10 years now. We have been working on a shuffel together and its kinda fun doing it cause we both still love to skate and her dance skills and my crazyness we have a blast even know where rusty.we go to ocean club (ocean skate)every thusday night because no one was there but now with this new roller derby they have every sunday night a lot of new girls there. i try helping these new girls skaters learn to skate the basic.Its kinda funny too.

I skated against Dennis Miller and could never even come close. If I remember correctly, he skated for Empire in Syracuse. (I remember their orange, white, and blue shirts) Yeah, the uniforms were definitely odd, the tight polyester shorts & tops. (pre skinsuits) Tony Muse is actually skating again, for Team Tru-Rev, if I recall. I haven't seem Dante compete since the X-Games.

I assume the Thursday session at the OC is an 18 and up session? Do you go every week? Maybe I could convince my wife to take a ride down there. She skates as well.