“All skate, all skate!” When Elynor Gould’s voice me over the public addrs system at Gay Blas Roller Rk, the skaters on the floor – sometim numberg the hundreds – knew that the upl’ skate, backwards skate, Hokey Pokey or other specialty spotlight was over. “All skate” was the announcement that everyone, no matter
Contents:
- VTAGE ST. PETE: WHEN GAY BLAS WAS THE CENTER OF THE SKATG UNIVERSE
- COMMUNY VOIC: AT GAY BLAS, ‘ WAS A MORE NOCENT TIME’
- OAKS PARK GAY SKATE IS ON A ROLL
- 1950S GAY BLAS ROLLER SKATG POSTER
VTAGE ST. PETE: WHEN GAY BLAS WAS THE CENTER OF THE SKATG UNIVERSE
* gay blades roller rink *
When Elynor Gould’s voice me over the public addrs system at Gay Blas Roller Rk, the skaters on the floor – sometim numberg the hundreds – knew that the upl’ skate, backwards skate, Hokey Pokey or other specialty spotlight was over.
COMMUNY VOIC: AT GAY BLAS, ‘ WAS A MORE NOCENT TIME’
Stickers were issued by roller rks across the Uned Stat. Many were stock signs imprted wh the lol skatg facily. This was for the Gay Blas roller skatg rk at 52nd and Broadway New York Cy. * gay blades roller rink *
Gay Blas, photographed 1964. Gay Blas was one of St. Pete – the Boulevard, the Pastime, the Pellas, the Zk and Southland among them – but none had the stayg power of Gay Blas, which opened 1950 and was still packg ‘em when was sold to make way for a medil arts buildg 1985.
Pete rk had been named honor of the famo Gay Blas Rollerdrome, at 52nd Street and Broadway New York. Gay Blas Newsletter (Roll Call), reprted om Skatg News, October 1954.
It was all part of the Gay Blas charm, acrdg to Cala Mosley, 68. Her fay ught the Gay Blas bug 1954. Tammy took dance lsons at Gay Blas – but her father’s legend loomed large.
OAKS PARK GAY SKATE IS ON A ROLL
Gay Blas Roller Rk St. Pete and Gay Way Roller Rk Clearwater. Edward Whe Hospal is now where Gay Blas ed to be on 9th Ave. No., * gay blades roller rink *
She was at Gay Blas after school most days, and on the weekends. On the Facebook group page People Who Have Fond Memori of Gay Blas Roller Rk, certa them are recurrent: My hband and I met there, I spent every weekend there, I learned to skate there, I peted the Southeastern Regnals there, I broke my arm there, I always went after school, I won a pair of skat Mr. A half hour before Gay Blas opens, the parkg lot is almost empty, but already teens hang over the entrance rail, or s on the roofs of rs, yellg greetgs when someone new arriv.
In June 1985, Gould agreed to sell Gay Blas lock, stock and skate rentals to Hospal Corporatn of Ameri, which owned the Edward H. It’s 1972 at Gay Blas Roller Rk, and I’m at a school skatg party. Petersburg’s Canterbury School om fifth through eighth gra, a skatg party at Gay Blas was one of the highlights of the school year.
So I was prepared to h the rk the Gay Blas-issued skat, and to actually see them as an upgra. Thkg about those Gay Blas Days is btersweet.
1950S GAY BLAS ROLLER SKATG POSTER
PETE: When Gay Blas was the center of the skatg universe. Gay Blas Rollerdrome, 52street & Bway, NYC.
1932 - Rumed operatn as the Gay Blas Ice Rk. (Gay Blas).