Wednesday, February 10, 2010

The Roller Garden in Garden Grove

Anyone remember skating at the Roller Garden in Garden Grove? It was located on Haster & Garden Grove Blvd, right by the 22 Freeway. I never went there, but drove past it all the time. Since I lived in Santa Ana, I always went to the Skate Ranch, though I also visited an outdoor skating rink at Camelot (Scamalot).

I've seen references to this skating rink being called both Roller Garden and Roller Dome. I'm not sure which was the official name, or if this rink had different names over time. Maybe someone knows the answer to that.

A couple of OCThen readers share their memories of the Roller Garden...

Chris said...

Does anyone remember a steakhouse in Garden Grove or Westminster called Mother, Jugs, Beef and Brew? My friend Kathy Lester used to sing there occasionally. I lost contact with her years ago so if you know of her please let me know.

Also, are there any skaters from Roller Garden in Garden Grove at GG Blvd. and Haster? It's gone now but in the late 60's and early 70's we had a blast on the weekends there.It was such a big part of our lives.

I want to say this is my favorite site. Love reading about all the things I forgot about but it breaks my heart that they're gone forever.

Pat /pismo beach said...

Chris, I remember the Roller Dome skating rink on gg blvd and haster. All of us from that general area would skate there on Friday and Saturday night in the late 50's and 60's. I couldn't wait until I was old enough to stay for the second session starting at 10:30pm. My parents bought my sister Melody the best high top percision skates from their skate store in the office area. Our friend Jody use to sing live sometimes while the owner played an organ up in the attic. We would go to "sock hops" once in awhile and dance in our socks on the rink floor during special times of the year. Remember the snack bar where you could get pizza or a sucide drink ( coke, rootbeer, orange mixed together). That was bad tasting, but we ordered it anyway. The men's bathroom offered black plastic combs from a machine for 10 cents and they would always break when you sat on them. My sis took lessons and entered several skating tournments (doubles) where we would travel to other cities like Bakersfield for competitions. Do remember any names of the people you knew there? Thanks for the post.

27 comments:

  1. I'm impressed that you remeber this. I graduated from GG High in "61" and just barely remember skating there. I actually lived on GG Blvd.
    Phyllis11343@msn.com

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  2. WoW this brings back memories. I went to Gilbert,hare and RAHS. The rink was the place to be. It was a blast! I look at my kids now, even though they are into sports- do so much gaming! I thought we didnt have that (except pong) we went outside and went skating and dancing at knotts Berry farm. Those were the days. Now in GA. Lisa 1983 grad

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  3. OMG....what a blast from the past, i too went to Hare around 77-78 and yes i remember the rink well.Does anyone remember Shakeys pizza?Hot after school spot or my friends and I would always go to Farrells Ice cream parlor for the banana split on our b-days,remember that place anyone. I dont live in OC anymore but i visit twice a year to see family...sure miss the "OLD DAYS".

    Stacey Schreiber
    Houston, Texas

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    1. I remember the Shakey's Pizza my friend and his brothers worked there in the mid 70s. They were Italians ( Sicilian sorry ) so they fit the image well. We would visit them in HS (GGHS). They would be making Pizza's in that window out front.

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  4. Steve - thanks for this great website....
    I, too, graduated from GG High in '61. I lived in Garden Grove from 1953 to 1964 and then moved to Santa Ana and lived there for 34 years. I skated at Roller Gardens occasionally, but my brother and sister skated there all the time. My sister met her husband at the rink (he was a Marine stationed at LTA) and they have been married for 47 years. It's a shame the kids nowadays don't have the safe/fun things we had to do when we were kids.

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  5. Frances (Peterson) RickelsFebruary 13, 2011 9:30 AM

    I skated at that roller rink when I was young in the '50s. On Sundays I went to 8 am mass at St. Columbans in GG and then to a 10 am session at the roller rink UNTIL that time was taken over by some church who held their services there. I have always blamed the Crystal Cathedral for being the culprit who stole my time. I remember being told that the church moved to the Orange Drive-In to hold their services but the 10 am sesssion was never re-opened. If you read the history of the Crystal Cathedral, they don't mention holding services at the Skating Rink. I remember being asked by "some" boy if I wanted to skate and I told him "I was doing fine by myself!" What a kick!

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  6. I sure do remember skating there! In the 70s I remember they wouldn't let anyone inside to skate if they had metal "studs" on their jeans - they said it would damage the floor if we fell. :-)

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  7. @ Lisa: You weren't allowed to wear jeans at all, studs or not. Mrs. C was a tough cookie!

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  8. Is that the rink that had a dark floor with the walls painted with blue sky and clouds??? I think I skated there for a few years. I took a few lessons there....

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  9. Omg! I use to skate at roller gardens my whole childhood since I was 4yrs old. I went to Santiago high been going from like 1964 till I was 16 they tore the rink down and I started going to holiday 3 on gg blvd and beach. Wow skating was my whole life it was so different then your parents didn't really have to worry as much. Remember being on the speed team and I and another girl Kim were the only girls and Scott hulse was our coach and use to stay for the late session and go to me n eds pizza good times. Have a lot of fb friends I remember going to roller Gardens as well.

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    1. I also skated on the speed team in the early 70s, I remember Scott Hulse.
      I skated with a girl named Kim Schmit, also Danny Vorge, Rick Vigor. Kurt and Eleanor Curtis were the best! Andy N.

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    2. I skated on the speed team in the early 70s. I skated with Scott Hulse, Kim Schmidt, Danny Vorge, Rick Vigor. Many fond memories of Kurt and Eleanor Curtis.
      A. Nelson

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    3. I also skated on the speed team in the early 70s, I remember Scott Hulse.
      I skated with a girl named Kim Schmit, also Danny Vorge, Rick Vigor. Kurt and Eleanor Curtis were the best! Andy N.

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    4. I also skated on the speed team in the early 70s, I remember Scott Hulse.
      I skated with a girl named Kim Schmit, also Danny Vorge, Rick Vigor. Kurt and Eleanor Curtis were the best! Andy N.

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  10. I grew up in Orange and my parents had me take lessons there and at the Skate Ranch. I had two skate partners - one I only remember as 'Beverly' and the other was Christine Williams. I loved dance and figure skating. I remember the Garden Grove rink had these really big fans on the walls that drew fresh air in from outside and it had a plastic coated concrete floor. Skate Ranch had a 90' x 190' maple floor. I always thought it was strange that they tore down the Garden Grove rink and planted a strawberry field in it's place (reverse logic). I do believe there is a Holiday Inn there now. - Bill B.

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  11. I used to skate there in the 70's and 80's Mr and Mrs. Curtis were like grandparents to me.

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  12. Boy did you shake up my memories. This going back a lot of years. Some 50 plus. That was the rink with the painting on the back wall. the owner was a man named vic. We also owned one in Pico Rivera. It was a open air rink right on the railroad tracks. I think that is where the T-Birds started. Al (my husband) was the floor gaurd in the GG rink and I worked the snack bar and sold the aful drink. We spent so many years in that rink and lost track all the kids that went there. Sandy

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  13. Oh my gosh....I skated there lived on Sungrove street... what a great page ♥

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  14. Back in the 70's, Jim Warner was the owner. Went there quite abit to skate and stay for the late session. Alot of fun. I graduated from Los Amigos High in 1974!!! what a trip down memory lane!!!

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  15. I took lessons there when I was about 4 or 5 and skated there through high school(Santiago74). Had tons of fun and memories there!!! Loved the frozen Musketeer bars, and I remember they played the organ sometimes and then records,,,the Hokie Pokie, the Limbo!!!!

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  16. I remember when they had the couples skating....I was shy, and envious of the guys who had a girl to skate with....I remember asking a girl once....she just looked at me like i had two heads....the start of my shy period. ;0) but still I loved skating there too. skate ranch was too far away for us then....My brother started to ice skate at Glacier falls, he met his wife there.

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  17. Mr and Mrs Curt Curtiss Ran the Roller Garden Skating Rink and their son Curt was one of the teachers. I worked and skated there. I worked in the "skate room", my sister worked at the snack bar. We also took lessons there. My sister excelled at skating ang won many trophy;s over the years then became a skating teacher herself. I guess I was just into for the boys. My sister taught for very many years at different OC Rinks.

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  18. Such a fun read and brings back such great memories.

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  19. Such a great blog that brings back such wonderful childhood memories. Thanks for all the posts. Makes me think of Kid's Haven and Wonderbowl too, along with the Gem Theater in old town Garden Grove.

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  20. Frederick " Dean " WatsonJuly 23, 2013 7:23 AM

    Yes , I have great memories skating there , from 1973 to 1977. My dad was in the navy , and stationed in California for more than 20 years. I grew up two blocks south of Disneyland off of West street . They played " Spirit In The Sky " & " The Rapper on the loud speakers while we all skated away . Got my first kiss down the street at " Me & Ed's Pizza Parlor , where we all would go after skating , and drink Coca cola and play the juke box . I no longer live in California , although my heart is always there !

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  21. I played little leagu(eastside little league) across the street from the roller rink, and went to the rink on saturday nights. Parents would drop me off and pick me up in the late 50's. Got excited about girls and couldn't wait for "couples only slow dance" to grab one and skate. Growing up in the late 50's and early 60's in ORANGE COUNTY was the best. Went to highschool @santiago(first year 1961) then went to La Quinta(63 thru 65).

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  22. St Callistus was the church that used the Roller Garden on Sunday mornings. We attended mass on folding chairs set up in the skating rink. A special kind of torture to be in the rink and not be able to skate! This was around 61-62. -Ed Webb, Santiago'74.

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