Roll, skate, bounced: The Brooklyn Skates club has been ousted from their gym
The Bed-Stuy club says they are no longer welcome in the Salvation Army-run gymnasium where they've skated for a decade-plus
Brooklyn Skates, a beloved roller skating club, is looking for a new place to skate after the Salvation Army-run gymnasium that hosted the group has asked it to find another home.
On Instagram, the club said that the “rumors are true” and it’s not able to keep using its usual space in Bed-Stuy. The Salvation Army-run gym recently resurfaced its basketball courts, on which it also hosts the biweekly skating club, and has gotten complaints from ball players who say the court is being scratched up by the skates, Gothamist reports.
“To better meet the needs of the local community and ensure the wellbeing and safety of all our clients and staff, the Salvation Army will no longer run skate nights at our Bed-Stuy gymnasium, but will continue to serve the community through other programs and services.,” the Salvation Army said in a statement.
Brooklyn Skates said that it’s “more than a space, it’s a community” and it’s seeking community help to relocate. One person commented “this breaks my heart … where am I going to skate now?” and another said “Sad, hope you’ll be back.”
Originally called Crazy Legs Skate Club, the 14-year-old organization has been enjoying a post-pandemic resurgence that has attracted younger skaters. A petition has been started to “save” the club, which has garnered more than 600 signatures so far.
“We have just received news that BKLYN Skates will be shut down, and it is a devastating blow to the community of skaters that call it home. It has provided community, a form of therapy, exercise, and joy for many skaters of all ages and backgrounds,” it says.
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