PORT ANGELES — Port Scandalous Roller Derby team members tried out the Olympic Skate Village rink during a demonstration the evening before the facility opened to the public on Friday.
The team, which has been deeply involved in the planning of the roller rink, was “checking out the rink surface,” said Marc Abshire, executive director of the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce, which is operating the skating facility at 121 W. Front St.
Port Scandalous, which has sought additional practice space, will use the downtown rink, Abshire said.
“The chamber has partnered with Port Scandalous from the beginning,” he said. “They have been in our planning meetings. They have been part of the some of the decisions we’ve made about the orientation of the rink,” which was moved from winter’s placement so as to make it easier to get on and off while on wheels.
The Olympic Skate Village, a summertime incarnation of the Port Angeles Winter Ice Village, began its inaugural season at about noon Friday. The village offers three three-hour skate sessions per day through Aug. 14. Sessions run from noon to 3 p.m., 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Devyn Roblan of Port Angeles makes adjustments to a rollerblade worn by her son, Miles Roblan, 7, on Friday’s opening day of skating at the seasonal Olympic Skate Villege in downtown Port Angeles. (KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS)
Port Scandalous team members also are serving as volunteers. But more are needed, Abshire said Friday.
“The only way this works is if we have volunteers,” he said.
The roller rink is an outgrowth of the popular Winter Ice Village, which completed its fifth season in January.
It isn’t intended to make a profit, Abshire said.
“We are able to use a lot of equipment we invested in for the ice rink,” he said, but overall, “it’s paid for by ticket sales.
“The goal is to not lose any money.”
The rink is the only one on the North Olympic Peninsula.
“Our goal is not to bring people into Port Angeles from outside the county in the summer,” Abshire said.
“Our goal is to make something fun for people who are here anyway… something to do in the summer” that is a little different from other outdoor activities.
For more about the Olympic Skate Village, see https://olympicskatevillage.com/.
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Executive Editor Leah Leach can be reached at 360-417-3530 or at lleach@peninsuladailynews.com.
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