Brookpark Skateland

[cari]

Just wondering if anyone here has ever skated there. I grew up in that rink and just visited it again this past weekend with my son. I could not believe how it seemed like time stood still. Everything was the same including that wonderful smell.
I fell in love with the sport all over again.

[Gypsyjuggler]

Cari,

I started skating at Brookpark Skateland in 1970 at the age of 4 and I'm now 40 years old and I'm still there!

Patrick

[Kennedy]

I have never skated there. I have heard it is a nice rink. We are thinking of going there to skate session and check it out sometime soon.

They have a very active artistic club.

[Gypsyjuggler]

Its a very nice rink. The owners have gone out of their way to keep it a good family rink.

Depending on your type of skating, look into what nights would be good for you.

Sunday & Wednesday evenings are organ music, older skaters, but enjoyable.

Thursday night is "Retro Night" 70 & 80s music with a DJ. Crowd ranges from familys, teens to older adults. Good respectable crowd and just enough people on the floor to make it fun. Here is a good sign, many of the rink employees come in to skate this session on their nights off.

Friday nights, well, its mostly teenagers who seem to come in with a chip on their shoulders and try to cause trouble. Music is current hits with a DJ. I don't recommend session for families with little children who are trying to learn.

Saturday nights are kinda the same but a little bit tamer then Friday night.

Saturday morning, current music with a DJ, not too crowded, mostly children, very good for beginners and families. This session ends at noon and you still have the rest of the day to do other things.

Saturday /Sunday afternoon - BIRTHDAY PARTIES! Not a bad thing, but if you come in on a session that has 4 or 5 parties scheduled, be prepared to skate defensively. Lots of kids, teens and parents all have a good time.

I know they have morning sessions during the week (organ music) but I have a day job and have never made it in to those sessions.

[FleaHopper]

I skated in Lorain as a kid...very regularly...nice rink..but it was always special when I was able to go to Brookpark...I consdered that the mecca. This was many years ago..........I called Brookpark recently....and the person answering did not know what the flea hop was and things are DJ on Friday-Sat nights...and so I concluded that rink changed...but I guess some of you think it didn't. When I went there in the mid-late 70s, it was organ music Friday and Sat nights.....many good skaters skated on the inside circle.....they had couples skates, 2 sets of dance specials, a couple of circle waltzes and .... my favorite....the flea hop special "for those who flea hop only". I guess they now have organ in the morning...but this is not "prime time".

Now I am in Southern Cal....rinks are not as nice or large....no hardwood floor, DJ only.....no flea hop.....no dance specials, no circle waltz...not even couples skates.....I was told that this is due to some law suit concern....how stupid. Did not really see a lot of good skaters, and did not get a feel that there were many there that go regularly and knew each other. I guess the hip hop and other radio music is considered by some to be beneficial....but if I were a kid today going to a skating rink session.....I would not be inspired to improve and go regularly....would not get to watch the good skaters in the middle and want to be like them..... would never get to meet girls by having the opportunity to ask them to couples skate....etc. In California, the rink stating I know does not exist...and I do not think the current status is an improvement.

[Gypsyjuggler]

Fleahopper,

The organ sessions are still organized like you used to remember them, Couples skate, circle waltzes, robbers circle waltz, the dance specials just before the intermission, the flea hop. Its all still there.

The DJ sessions are different. They have a couples skate (You can circle waltz, but keep a sharp eye on the crowd), the have a backwards skate early on in the session, and a flea hop (only) towards the end of the session. On Friday/Saturday nights, the backward skate could have a good crowd on it, but when it comes time to flea hop, there is only about a dozen people on the floor.

Most of the teens have no idea what the flea hop is. Their idea of showing off is trying to zig-zag through crowds without knocking anyone down. (And then don't understand why the floor guard is kicking them off the floor for doing it)

When I was a teen, fleahopping was the way to impress the girls, and outdo the other guy. Circle waltzes were the other way to impress. I fondly remeber having some of the girls going out of thier way to circle waltze with certain guys because of how good they were at it.

I think fleahopping is a regional thing. I remember going to Alabama one summer and when I stopped in a rink there, they had no idea what I was doing, and had never heard of the term. I'm not sure if they actually teach fleahopping by itself.

Brookpark is still run by the same family, I can't think of any employee there that would not know what the fleahop is. (There are a few teens working there, maybe you talked with one of them?)

When I watch the crowds on Saturday night, I'm disappointed that the audience has changed so much from when I was a kid there.

And just for reference. I'm currently 40 years old. I started skating at Brookpark when I was 4 (1970). I was there almost every saturday afternoon while growing up. When my parents felt I was old enough (15) I was allowed to go to the Saturday night session with my older brother (8pm - 11pm) my dad would pick me up at 11 and let my brother stay for the 11pm-1am session. When I was finally old enough to stay the late session (Which was amazing to watch. The couple's flea hop was something to see!) they changed the schedule to 8 - midnight. I was there whey they brought the DJ in and changed the format for some nights.

As for the present, I have been working there since 2002 as a floor guard usually working 2-3 sessions a week, and coming in to skate for the enjoyment on Thursday evenings.

I miss the snowball.
Gypsyjuggler

[artisan555]

fleahopper,

where the heck in so cal are you skating??? wood floors, flea hopping, jam skating, couples skates etc, etc are happening at northridge and glendale if you show up on the right nights. world on wheels also has a new wood floor and red hot skaters.

let us know where you are, maybe we can get u to a rink that's more to your liking.

[FleaHopper]

Went to Holiday in Orange today....went to Fountain Valley last night. I live in the South Bay. Seems that rinks are at least 40-50 miles away. Unless my memory is fading, both rinks were smaller than Brookpark. The floors were in no way in as good of shape....painted surface in Fountain Valley....lots of wear at Holiday with many uneven areas with depressions. Not a lot of good skaters at the sessions. I just called Glendale and looked at their web site...the pics of the floor suggest a nicer floor than the OC rinks.....I asked about the Friday and Saturday night sessions....the person at the phone said...DJ with no flea hop, no dance specials....nothing at all like the old Brookpark sessions.....I guess there is a Tuesday session with an "older style"....but I am not able to go to that far on a Tuesday....and I always liked Friday and Saturday night sessions...."prime time" when it is more crowded....there was always a certain energy on Friday and Sat night that I never felt when going to afternoon or weekday sessions.

[Everafter01]

I'm guessing these rinks are up north. I live right outside of cleveland texas. there isint any skating rinks around here except the ones owned by the school. Even then, its not even a wood floor and the owner doesnt do anything to the floor, literally.
I know of rainbow, but thats kind of far for me to drive.

Anyone know something i dont?

[BlingBlade]

Originally Posted by artisan555

fleahopper,

where the heck in so cal are you skating??? wood floors, flea hopping, jam skating, couples skates etc, etc are happening at northridge and glendale if you show up on the right nights. world on wheels also has a new wood floor and red hot skaters.

let us know where you are, maybe we can get u to a rink that's more to your liking.

I recently skated at Moonlight Rollerway and was severely disappointed in the place. The rink looked rundown with very little money spent on the place for updates. Bathrooms were bad as usual and the music....well if you like hip hop and alot of it then that's your place. It was liike going back to the 70's. I don't think I'll be going back soon.

[artisan555]

hahaha. yup. glendale is everything u said and more! (less???). i'm afraid of the carpet on the walls! but the skaters there on sunday nights will blow you away.

[BlingBlade]

Originally Posted by artisan555

hahaha. yup. glendale is everything u said and more! (less???). i'm afraid of the carpet on the walls! but the skaters there on sunday nights will blow you away.

You are probably right about the Sunday night skaters......but I'll never see them as I live an hour and a half away and have to work early Monday morning.

[Gypsyjuggler]

Originally Posted by Everafter01

I'm guessing these rinks are up north. I live right outside of cleveland texas. there isint any skating rinks around here except the ones owned by the school. Even then, its not even a wood floor and the owner doesnt do anything to the floor, literally.
I know of rainbow, but thats kind of far for me to drive.

Anyone know something i dont?

Everafter01,

Brookpark Skateland is in Brookpark Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio.

Gypsyjuggler

[Gypsyjuggler]

In another discussion marked as "Any Sat night session with circle waltz, fleahop" there is a link to some videos that were taken at Brookpark on a Thursday night session.

[CANDLECHIC]

omg are you all bringin' me back! flea hop /and all!
Lordy I feel old and I am only turnin' 33 this november!

I am from the Eastside originally and avidly ( every day ) skated at the ROLLERDROME in EUCLID & USA SKATES IN WILLOWICK....+++

Anyone ever go there? I am considering doing roller derby to get back into things and get my booty going! I misssssssssssssssss it terribly! my husband thinks Im nuts! I am about to cry when I heard all the good times you all mentioned! Uggh to be fifteen again!:biggrin:

[DH539]

Skateland is a nice rink. I skated there from 1968 to 1975. That was the last time I skated.

[Dennis Lauer]

Originally Posted by FleaHopper

I skated in Lorain as a kid...very regularly...nice rink..but it was always special when I was able to go to Brookpark...I consdered that the mecca. This was many years ago..........I called Brookpark recently....and the person answering did not know what the flea hop was and things are DJ on Friday-Sat nights...and so I concluded that rink changed...but I guess some of you think it didn't. When I went there in the mid-late 70s, it was organ music Friday and Sat nights.....many good skaters skated on the inside circle.....they had couples skates, 2 sets of dance specials, a couple of circle waltzes and .... my favorite....the flea hop special "for those who flea hop only". I guess they now have organ in the morning...but this is not "prime time".

Now I am in Southern Cal....rinks are not as nice or large....no hardwood floor, DJ only.....no flea hop.....no dance specials, no circle waltz...not even couples skates.....I was told that this is due to some law suit concern....how stupid. Did not really see a lot of good skaters, and did not get a feel that there were many there that go regularly and knew each other. I guess the hip hop and other radio music is considered by some to be beneficial....but if I were a kid today going to a skating rink session.....I would not be inspired to improve and go regularly....would not get to watch the good skaters in the middle and want to be like them..... would never get to meet girls by having the opportunity to ask them to couples skate....etc. In California, the rink stating I know does not exist...and I do not think the current status is an improvement.

I remember well the fun that we had whenever we went to the Brookpark rink. The organ music, the great skaters,waltz and dance skating, skating on the center figure circles and the Flea Hop was always the best.

Your statement about the reaction of kids going to a rink today...... nothing in todays sessions to inspire you to become a better skater, music that by and large is not fit to skate to, no good skaters to watch and if good skaters come to the session they are not allowed to skate to their potential. Todays sessions are basically slow forwards skating done in a rink kept so dark as to be dangerous for all skaters. This darkness makes it impossible for the beginner skaters to observe quality skaters if those good skaters were even allowed to skate up to their potential! Many rinks do not allow skating backwards during the session! Is it any wonder that in many areas roller skating rinks are closing, their very methods of running their rinks drives customers away. Todays rink management style is killing the roller skating business and unfortunately I do not think they understand the impact of the faulty management system that they perpetuate!

I do hope that the Brookpark rink has kept its high standards of management and still run sessions comparable to those I so enjoyed in the sixties and seventies. I live about 130 miles away from the rink but others at this forum live much closer to the rink. I do hope that some of these others at the forum that live close enough to go to the rink on a regular basis will respond with updated information about the sessions of today.

Dennis Lauer

[Gypsyjuggler]

I was told that a local TV show "The Robin Swoboda Show" filmed segments at Brookpark skateland the last monday of February to be used during the Tues March 2nd show promoting the opening of the musical "Xanadu" at the Playhouse Theatre.

Someone said that they had audio problems and didn't use too much rink footage.

I had to work so I wasn't able to attend, nor see the segments that got aired. I'm hoping that they end up on Youtube.

Gypsyjuggler

[Gypsyjuggler]

I found this video online the other day.
Its very current and gives you a good impression of the size of the rink.

Gypsyjuggler

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfTbvgIwpDA

[Vanilla Vadj]

WOW that is a BIG floor and looks in really good condition.