Garden Roller Rink: A Wheely Good Time
Lora Parsons
The Ashland Beacon
A staple in the Ashland entertainment community for two generations now has been the skating rink on US 60. Originally Perry’s--now, Garden Roller Rink is getting creative in how it appeals to audiences far and wide. On the surface, it would be easy to assume that a solid business plan is wise to set this as their main goal. The more people you appeal to, the more folks are coming through the doors of the business; but, even a quick chat with current owner, David Roy reveals that there’s a much greater goal than entrepreneurship behind his decision-making: “When I was a teenager, the skating rink was a source of wholesome fun. It was good, clean fun. That’s how I want it to be.”
The rink itself has experienced a few changes in ownership over the last 12 years and isn’t too far removed from its own COVID-related difficulties. Despite those hurdles along the way, though, she’s still rolling right along. Garden Roller Rink has just celebrated her second birthday after re-opening, allowing a long-standing Ashland icon to be back in the line-up for exactly what Roy said: some good, wholesome fun. And, he has no plans of losing ground! When the shop first re-opened in 2021, there weren’t near enough skates available for customers to rent based on the building’s capacity. There are 480 possibilities now for getting some wheels on your feet and plans to stop only when that number reaches 2000 pairs.
Supporting the overall goal of expanding local opportunities for family-oriented fun, last night began the first of what Roy hopes to be many Gospel Nights. The target audience is youth groups and Christian organizations who want to provide an activity for their students where other like-minded believers are present. The plan at present is to offer this environment on the first and third Mondays of each month as long as that is financially feasible. Contemporary and Bluegrass Christian music are queued up on the playlist, ready to offer an energetic backdrop to the other expected sights and sounds of the rink. Just as there are dreams of more when it comes to the number of skates in the building, there are also dreams of more in regards to Gospel Nights. Roy would love for the response to be so sustainable that he could expand the current two-evenings-a-month plan to also include live musicians and host Gospel Night as often as possible. His heart’s desire would be that non-Christians also feel comfortable enough to attend and hear the message of God’s love for them. “It’s hard to find Christian-based activities on the weekend,” so Roy would love for Gospel Nights to start taking over his regular weekend lineup. It’s important that a skating rink environment be family-friendly so songs are always monitored for explicit language and content, but his desire would be to have Christian messaging as often as possible at the rink. And, his desire is never to exclude anyone from participating in Gospel Night, regardless of their beliefs. This is a place where all are welcome to have a great time!
In addition to uniting church groups with others that might in this scene happily accept the term “holy rollers,” Garden Roller Rink is also open to fundraising for churches and civic groups. Sponsors can reserve a three-hour party time where participants get in for $6 per person (including skate rental). The roller rink keeps the full $6 from the first 25 guests to cover the cost of opening and staffing the rink (from running music to opening the snack bar). Every admission after those 25 is split evenly between the rink and the sponsoring group with the funds being disbursed that night. The terms of the fundraiser mean that everyone benefits. The rink has increased foot traffic. Participants have fun and invest in their own organization. And, the organization gets a portion of the proceeds to reinvest. A true whole-community win-win.
Other attempts to expand the community’s interest in skating can easily be seen with a quick visit to the rink’s Facebook page. It is full of infographics describing various opportunities for folks to slip into some skates and spend a little time under the disco ball. A kid-friendly Halloween “SKATE or Treat” was held on the same afternoon that an evening/night skating and costume party for older students took place. The rink’s commitment to meeting the needs of all ages and groups is evident, including the throwback theme nights for those of us in a slightly older age bracket--Disco, 80s and 90s. There truly is something for everyone looking for a good reason to lace up their quads or snap on their inlines. Do yourself a favor and visit (or revisit) Garden Roller Rink, a place that was likely part of every Ashland native’s life at some point. It was a place we learned to roll with the punches, just like the business itself has had to do over the last several years. We just got to do that with skates on our feet and smiles on our faces.
More information about upcoming events, such as the twice-monthly Gospel Nights, can be found by following the “Garden Roller Rink” Facebook page or calling 606.928.3055.
