Roller rink at the Greenport American Legion set for March opening
The Greenport American Legion will be open for skating in mid-march, general Manager Mindy Ryan said Monday.
Last month, the legion experienced a minor setback when the skate floor that was ordered turned out to be defective. The manufacturer took back the defective material for a full refund, and the legion is expecting new flooring to be delivered Feb. 26. Ms. Ryan said it should be installed during the first week of March.
The finished flooring will be a mix of gray, light gray and black hard plastic tiles. Volunteers Jane Costello and her son Brett have been working for weeks to get the skate room ready for rentals. This weekend, Ms. Ryan and others will be coming in to sand down the sub-floor to get it level for the new skating surface to be installed.
On Monday and Wednesday, the legion hosted free skate try-on events, allowing patrons to come in, try on a pair of skates and test them out before the skating rink officially opens.
“The reason we’re doing this is so people can save time by trying on skates so you’ll know what size you are when you come to rent,” Ms. Ryan said.
The next step is get the concession stocked and ready, although Ms. Ryan said that may not be finished in time for the opening in March. She also has to get the space staffed.
“It’s definitely going to be a busy few weeks,” she said.
The legion has been out of commission for about a decade, but efforts to restore the building have been underway for years. The renovated hall will be more than a roller rink though, as Ms. Ryan has said it is going to be a new community center that can host weddings, private parties or meetings, among other events.
Kimberly Bracken, 22, of Greenport, stopped in Monday to test out some skates and see the progress on the building.
“I had all my birthday parties here as a kid,” she said. “We wanted to see how progress was going and wanted to check everything out. It looks great.”
Photo caption: The legion invited people to try on skates before the skating rink officially opens. (Credit: Rachel Siford)
