A cherished building on East Ferry has suffered roof and floor damage caused by a relatively harsh weather. I say “cherished” because the building houses Skateland Arena, which is an undeniable community asset consisting of two roller rinks. The rinks are frequented by various communities, and age groups.
In a four-season city such as Buffalo, these types of recreational assets must be safeguarded. Skating is an activity that people can rely on year round. In an age when watching TV is probably the most popular pastime, the community needs as many activity-oriented venues available to them as possible.
Seeing that Skateland is in need of some repairs, skaters have come up with a funding campaign to help fix the place up. An online GoFundMe campaign has been launched, so that friends of the rink can support the grassroots effort to keep the rinks at Skateland in “the best shape” moving forward. From the campaign:
Skateland on E Ferry in the city of Buffalo, is one of only a few roller skating rinks left in Buffalo NY. It’s the only rink with iconic local history and has had the same owner (Trunnis Goggins) since the early 60s. The rink almost closed the end of 2013 when the owner passed away, but lucky for the community his wife Sue has managed to keep it open, catering to the neighborhood & its children, hosting birthday parties & free events for the local schools. Her priority is giving these kids a place to skate, consistently every weekend. All other events are scheduled around the kids, roller derby games are scheduled late on saturday to make sure the kids don’t lose any skate time. She hosts parties & has been known to just buy skates for her “kids” even if they can’t afford it. The kids that used to skate there in the 70s & 80s are now bringing their kids & grandkids.
The roof has been spot repaired (by the owner) to keep the leaks to a minimum, and the (original) wood floor has had sections replaced. Unfortunately the damage from this past winter’s storms had left the roof in need of a full repair & the main floor needs some TLC.
Local contractors have generously bid low on the repairs, but even with their help it’s still more than the rink can handle itself.
Please help to keep this iconic rink & a piece of Buffalo history alive.
According to the founder of the Nickel City Renegade Roller Girls roller skating league, Psyko Kupkake (photo – right), “The roof is in desperate need of repair, the leaks have caused some water damage & warping to the original floor, but fortunately it’s still skateable. We’re hoping that the community can pitch in to contribute to getting the rink back up to snuff!”
The IndieGoGo campaign is looking to raise $25K to get the roof and the floor back up to tip top shape. If you’re a fan of the neighborhood, skating, roller derby or a funky old building, consider donating a couple of bucks to this worthy cause.