Roller-skating is coming back to Ottawa in a big way

Gloria Guns is a roller derby athlete, and soon she will have a new place to round out her skills.

A brand new 20,000 square foot roller-skating rink is set to open this December. She says she’s excited for this new place to open, and it's a much needed addition to the roller skate community.

"I think what this roller rink will be primarily useful for is for the folks that are interested in roller dancing," Guns says. "There really is a need for more spaces to skate in Ottawa, especially indoors and especially in the wintertime. When all the hockey rinks are full of ice."

Ottawa’s roller-skating revival will take place in a section of the Ottawa Citizen building on Baxter Road.

Michee Jean is one of the co-owner of Ottawa’s newest roller rink, called 4 Wheelies.

"We've noticed that there's a big resurgence in roller skating," says Jean. "It’s coming back in style."

Interior of Ottawa Citizen building on Baxter Road, which will be turned into roller-skating rink. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa

The space might be an empty warehouse right now, but construction starts next week and skaters will be grooving to the music on the 7,500 square foot rink this holiday season.

"And obviously, there's a big need for it," says Jean. "There's a huge roller-skating community in Ottawa. And so far the response has been great. And a lot of people are looking forward to for this to be open."

Co-owner Josefa Mampihaona says he wants to pay homage to the Ottawa skating rinks that came before them.

"There's an arcade, there's a party rooms, there's a restaurant, there's a bar," says Mampihaona. "It's very modern, but I want to put some stuff that you know, gives tribute to whatever Skateway and Skatuim had before."

For Gloria Guns, she says she’s just happy she will have a place to skate once the snow falls.

"We are finding ourselves looking for places to skate and there really isn't a lot of opportunities," says Guns. "So this roller rink is going to be a good opportunity for that." 

Roller skating rinks have made a huge comeback. New rinks have opened from New York to Edmonton.

When 4 Wheelies opens, admission will be $17.00 and skate rentals will cost you $5.00. 

Monthly memberships are available for $50 per month for individuals or a family membership of two adults and two children will cost you $150.00 per month.