Where to Skate: Roller Rinks


There were few enough year-round indoor rollerskating rinks in the city even when inline skating was at its peak, and unfortunately, due to a variety of factors — but often involving real estate values — almost all closed during the 2005-07 period.

For info about the one remaining rink in the city and some others nearby, the New York Times had an article in January 2011 that you might want to read. More recent is an interesting May 2016 article in the Daily News.

There are, however, at least three covered but seasonal rinks in parks within the city limits. Also, some neighborhood organizations may arrange regular skating sessions at gymnasiums during the colder months.

Inline skaters should note that roller rinks that have wooden and other non-concrete surfaces may have a restriction on skates that might damage the floor. Often this is in regards to exposed bolts in the frames, but there might be issues with glass fragments or other crud that might become embedded in your wheels when skating outdoors.

This page does not include many outdoor rollerhockey rinks that may be found scattered around town in city parks. See the rollerhockey clubs page mention of many of those.


Manhattan

Chelsea Piers Roller Rinks

Rink no longer exists. After about ten years of use, the rink and skatepark on Pier 62 were ripped out in 2006. When the pier re-opened as part of the Hudson River Park facilties, it included a new skatepark but no rink.

Riverbank State Park
679 Riverside Drive at 145th St., Hamilton Heights
212-694-3642, 212-694-3600
nysparks.state.ny.us

There is a smooth concrete rink in this public park overlooking the Hudson River, just northeast of the football/soccer field. It doubles as an ice and roller rink, with open rollerskating during the summer. Although the rink is partially open to the elements (there is a roof and a clear, Plexiglass fence about six feet high), sound doesn't seem to disperse much and it can get pretty noisy.

At times, the rink can be crowded with many folks from Harlem, Hamilton Heights and Washington Heights, the neighborhoods across Riverside Dr. The atmosphere is very much that of a local rink. Riverbank has also hosted rollerhockey sessions, but this may vary year to year.

Riverbank was completely renovated in 2014, with new skating surface, dasher boards, etc. The admission fee is cheap; skate rental may also be available.

The Roxy

The famed dance/roller club on West 18th St. closed in spring 2007. It re-opened very briefly as "Club 515" but not long later closed permanently.

Wollman Memorial Rink
Central Park
wollmanrinknyc.com

Famous for ice skating during the winter, this rink was for many years converted to roller use spring through autumn. But with the decline in popularity of inline skating, they stopped doing so for close to 20 years, instead turning the rink into a mini-amusement park during the warm weather months. In 2022, they gave it a shot with a return to roller/inline skating during the summer, but for 2023 it looks it's been turned into a pickleball venue.


Brooklyn

BK Express / BKLYN-Skates
110 Kosciuszko St., Bed-Stuy
bklynskates.com

Neighborhood group that organizes regular evening indoor skating sessions late fall to spring at the Salvation Army gym in Bed-Stuy. The Nostrand Ave. stop of the G train is about two blocks away. Although the major goal is to serve the local community, the sessions also attract skaters from elsewhere about town, especially dance skaters for the Wednesday session.

For further info, contact BK Express at the numbers/addresses on their website, and not the Salvation Army.

Empire Roller Skating Center

The property was sold and the famed Crown Heights rink — allegedly the birthplace of roller disco — closed permanently in April 2007.

LeFrak Center
Prospect Park (east side near Lincoln Rd. entrance)
lakesidebrooklyn.com

Formerly the site of Kate Wollman Rink, Prospect's "LeFrak Center at Lakeside" complex includes two rink areas, one of which is open for roller skating in spring, summer, and fall while the other is ice year-round. The complex was rebuilt and renovated in 2013. The large skating area although open to the outdoors is covered.

Pier 2 Roller Rink
Brooklyn Bridge Park, 150 Furman St.
brooklynbridgeskating.com

Seasonal rink — open April through October — that first opened in summer 2014. The rink is outdoors but is covered. It is a full size rink located on one of the rebuilt park piers. The easiest way to get to the rink is to enter the park at Pier 1 — i.e., at Old Fulton St., below the Brooklyn Bridge — and go south about six blocks on the park paths.


Staten Island

RollerJam USA
236 Richmond Valley Road, Tottenville
rollerjamusa.com

Rink opened in July 2007 and renovated in early 2013 after being hammered by Hurricane Sandy. And unless we've lost track of things, RollerJam has been the only indoor, year-round roller rink in the city almost since it first opened.

Reported to be a bit small and has a non-wood floor, but has plenty of leather couches for relaxing when off your skates. It relatively quickly seemed to become fairly popular and draw good crowds. There is apparently no shop where you can buy gear.

In addition to mentions of RollerJam in the newspaper articles cited at the start of this page, see also the February 2017 profile published in the Times.


The Bronx

The Skate Key

The Key was a rink in the Mott Haven neighborhood. It was closed permanently in March 2006 due to public nuisance problems (e.g., under-age drinking and gang-related activity).


Westchester

E.J. Murray Memorial Rink
348 Tuckahoe Rd, Yonkers
yonkersny.gov

Large covered facility that alternates between ice and roller/inline depending on the season. Roller/inline sessions are June through September. There is a big inline hockey program.


Long Island

Grant Park
Broadway and Sheridan Ave., Hewlett
nassaucountyny.gov

Open-air seasonal outdoor rink in southwest Nassau County. The park is about a mile down Broadway from the Lynbrook station of the LIRR, and the rink is in the far south end of the park, alongside Grant Pond.

Hot Skates
Lynbrook

Rink closed for good in March 2019 after 39 years in business.

Skate Safe America
182 Bethpage-Sweet Hollow Rd, Old Bethpage — 516-249-1717
hockeyshift.com, pointstreaksites.com

Sports complex which among other things hosts a lot of rollerhockey play, as well as roller derby bouts.

United Skates of America
1276 Hicksville Rd. (Route 107), Seaford
unitedskates.com

Rink located about a mile and a half north of the Massapequa LIRR station.


New Jersey

Branch Brook Park Roller Skating Center
Seventh Ave and Clifton Ave, Newark
bbpskating.com

Indoor rink at the south end of Branch Brook Park, close to the intersection of I-280 and Clifton Ave. The rink is about a half mile from NJ Transit's Newark Broad St. Station. The speed group from the Empire Skate Club train here during the colder months.

Florham Park Roller Rink
192 Ridgedale Ave, Florham Park
www.florhamparkrollerrink.com

Frenchtown Roller Rink
2995 State Highway 29, Frenchtown
www.frenchtownrollerrink.com

Inline Skating Club of America
170 Schuyler Ave, North Arlington
www.iscahockey.com