Houston born and raised Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 I'm not sure if there is/was one there but I remember the one on Bellaire. I think it was called the Bellaire Skating Rink back in the 70's. I'm sure it's gone now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumber Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 I'm not sure if there is/was one there but I remember the one on Bellaire. I think it was called the Bellaire Skating Rink back in the 70's. I'm sure it's gone now.The Bellaire Skating Rink was actually located on Chimney Rock near Gulfton. I went there plenty of times in the mid 60's. Bayland Orphange was across the street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enviromain Posted February 23, 2006 Share Posted February 23, 2006 I used to go to the Bellaire Skating Rink with my best friend every Friday. We would eat chili-pies, play air hockey, and skate with the boys when they turned out the lights. Those were the days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icepickphil Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 An old friend recently pointed out to me where this rink's location used to be. South Rice Ave. near the present day Westpark. There is a leather goods store there now I believe. Someone else on this thread said it was on Chimney Rock near Gulfton. That doesn't sound right. I used to go to the Bellaire Skating Rink with my best friend every Friday. We would eat chili-pies, play air hockey, and skate with the boys when they turned out the lights. Those were the days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SchwinnChopper68 Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 OK, there has to be someone here that remembers the name and location of this place. We lived in Meyerland near JJHS and I remember we had to drive a while to get to this rink. It was a HUGE quonset hut. If I remember right, at the time the parking lot was dirt. To get in was 75 cents or so for kids and skate rental was just to the right of the door after paying. At one end (the left side) of the skate rental counter was a constantly blowing 3 foot fan. There were a bunch of benches in front of the rental counter to change your skates. The snack shop (painted pink I think) was straight ahead 10 feet or so and on the left after paying your entrance fees. Most of the time on weekends the snackbar was packed with pre-booked birthday party celebrations. Right behind the snack bar they had a great juke box that was kept stocked with the latest tunes. I distinctly remember one of the most popular skating songs was Snoopy vs. the Red Baron by the Royal Guardsmen. Next to the juke box were 2 or 3 pinball machines. The restrooms were over on the other side past the multiple rows of benches. They used to have one or two guys on skates hanging out in the center area with whistles that would act as skating cops yelling at you if you went too fast, cut off others or tried dangerous stuff. The main thing I remember is they had 4 huge 8 foot tall fans at the end of the rink. In the summer there was nothing better than stopping in front of one of those fans and cool down for a few minutes. Oh yea, the big mirrorball was there hanging in the center of the rink. With the lights off it made for a pretty good light show. OK, cue up These Boots Are Made For Walking in the jukebox and enter the rink for 5 minute speed skating marathon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Just think, some one must have interior/exterior pics of this place. Bet in later years they always played "Brand New Key" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr9rtQbijR8...feature=related Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Native Son Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 there was a skating rink on either Rice or Chimney Rock north of Bellaire, but that would not have been a very long drive, unless you were really young Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrFood Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I would be willing to bet it was Bellaire Skating Rink. I went there quite a bit with church youth group functions.It was on Chimney Rock between Glenmont & Gulfton. on the right side as you drive north (toward 59). The last time I paid attention driving by there it was a restaurant supply place if I am not mistaken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Native Son Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 you know, depending on your age, you may be recalling the skating rink that was originally in the parking lot of Gateway Swimming Pool on Main just south of Braesmain. That place always had a shell parking lot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SchwinnChopper68 Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Thanks everyone for your info. The Bellaire Skating Rink rang a bell in my noggin when I read it. I looked it up on google street view and the Ace Mart that is there now looks like the property. Same dirty brown parking lot with a huge building offset from the street. I was just a 7 yo kid and I know the ride was not super long like the other side of Sugarland so the Bellaire Rink fits well. I did a little digging and found this Facebook page about the Bellaire Skating Rink. No photos yet of the rink interior itself yet but it sounds like they are working on it. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=42020488558 I started going to the Bellaire Roller Rink every weekend starting in 6th grade when I went to Condit. The Robinsons owned it then and a lot of people don't know this but Mr. Robinson had after hour poker sessions that my grandfather went to and also the future Police Chief Lofton of Bellaire. I went there and worked there while Russell Bruce ran the place. A man named Greg Daniels had it for a few years and had futurist dreams for the place(even bought airplane seats, anyone remember those?), and eventually David Cole owned it at the end. A pipe busted a couple of days before Christmas one year and with the floors being wood, they warped. He tried to keep it open for several weeks but it was too much of a liability and too much to repair it, so he closed the doors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmer Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Here's a link to the historicaerials.com view of 5811 Chimney Rock in 1964:5811_Chimney_Rock_1964 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMME Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 I remember skating there and the big big fan. I used to be afraid someone would reverse it and we would all get sucked in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmer Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 I remember skating there and the big big fan. I used to be afraid someone would reverse it and we would all get sucked in.I am amused by the name of this fan company. They have some at Miller Theatre now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumber2 Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 I went to many a birthday party there. It was the place to go for kids growing up on the west side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artistpro Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 you know, depending on your age, you may be recalling the skating rink that was originally in the parking lot of Gateway Swimming Pool on Main just south of Braesmain. That place always had a shell parking lot...I remember so distinctly, that shell parking lot (Gateway pool & rink) There was something in the air around that place that smelled like spent shot gun shells or something. Can't figure it...never came across that smell anyplace else, ever. It's funny, the nuttie things that linger in one's memory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpaul2810 Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 The Bellaire Skating Rink was indeed on Chimney Rock near Gulton. Went to a lot of birthday parties there as a kid, late fifties and early sixties. It was really a big deal for us to go ice skating at Winterland. My wife at that time as a kid lived near the Shamrock Hotel and had a season pass to swim at the pool there. As a native of Houston one of the things I really miss is Valian's Pizza. I can so fondly remember the amazing taste of that pizza and from NYC to California, I have never had a pizza that tasted quite like it. Another neat memory is getting a bucket of Col Sanders Kentucky Fried Chicken. This was long before any fast food places. It was served at a restaurant that I believe was on W Gray and my Dad would call ahead and they would sell it to go. Not the same chicken you get today. I can't remember the last time I have had KFC, not healthy eating for this old boomer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpaul2810 Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 The Bellaire Skating Rink was indeed on Chimney Rock near Gulton. Went to a lot of birthday parties there as a kid, late fifties and early sixties. It was really a big deal for us to go ice skating at Winterland. My wife at that time as a kid lived near the Shamrock Hotel and had a season pass to swim at the pool there. As a native of Houston one of the things I really miss is Valian's Pizza. I can so fondly remember the amazing taste of that pizza and from NYC to California, I have never had a pizza that tasted quite like it. Another neat memory is getting a bucket of Col Sanders Kentucky Fried Chicken. This was long before any fast food places. It was served at a restaurant that I believe was on W Gray and my Dad would call ahead and they would sell it to go. Not the same chicken you get today. I can't remember the last time I have had KFC, not healthy eating for this old boomer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.