A Grand Re-opening: rolling back the memories at Wheels Durham

BY LUCIA HARRINGTON

    What has colorful lights, music, a disco ball, a shiny floor, and is now reopened in Durham? Wheels!
    The beloved roller skating rink had its Grand Re-opening on Thursday, February 27, 2025, after closing in 2020. Countless students have fun memories of Wheels Fun Park from when they were younger. Now managed by United Skates of America, it welcomes old fans and a new generation.

PHOTO CREDIT: THEO HUBBELL
Wheels is full and lively on a Friday night during the adult skate session. The upgraded rink has a new sound system and live DJs to keep the party going.

     “I went to a couple of birthday parties there, and it was always so fun… It was just a really unique place to go and hang out, celebrate, or just spend some time with your friends,” Nate Stemmle, a senior at DSA, reminisced.
     The newly opened facility offers event hosting, a new sound system, fully remodeled floor, a big arcade, and live DJs. They offer times geared toward kids and times for adults, with music to match.
     “When we went it was top 40s, it was really good music, it was fun,” Set Williams, a junior who went to the grand reopening, reported. “I really liked how they reconstructed it… now, they have ramps where you can actually skate down.”
     Wheels is now advertising STEM field trips to bring an educational component to the rink. Prior to 2020, Wheels also served as an event space for schools and other community groups.
     “There would be school events hosted there, and it was a good way to bring communities together,” Mikaela Mallari, a junior at DSA, commented.
     A way for people to spend some quality time together, rinks play a unique role in community gatherings. Roller skating allows for fun, exercise, and bonding.
     “There was an event when I was in sixth grade here, where DSA invited [students] to Wheels. I think that’s a good thing to do: it's a great bonding event for communities, like clubs, schools, or churches,” Williams explained.
     One of the main features of roller rinks is their music. The old Wheels played music videos, and the refurbished Wheels now has a “state of the art” sound system.
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     “They would always play kind of outdated music that's fun to dance to,” Stemmle remembered. 
     Another feature of the new facility is an upgraded arcade, with all of its nostalgic appeal. There are classic format games in which players win tickets, then trade in for prizes, and there are also “win-on-the-spot” prize games.
     “The best claw machine I ever played at was there. You could pretty much always get a prize from it,” Stemmle recalled.
      Some people are scared to roller skate because they don't know how or they worry about hurting themselves. Wheels will be offering skate lessons so kids and adults alike can learn new skating skills.
     “Don’t be afraid, there are a lot of people who are willing to teach,” Mallari said.
     Staff are also out on the rink to help people up when they fall. And, many fellow skaters are open to handing out tips and tricks.
     “Skating is something, to me at least, that gives you the opportunity to bond with other people. I’ve personally met so many cool people by giving them tips on skating,” Williams shared. 
     Wheels also offers food at their “Roller Cafe”. Pizza, pretzels, soda, what more could a kid ask for?
     “Stay towards the end of the set, because at the very end when everyone is about to leave, all their pizza slices go for one dollar,” Williams hinted.
     Wheels can again serve as a cross-generational community gathering space, a relic of years past, and a symbol of the spirit of Durham: colorful, bright, and moving fast.
     “Wheels is a really great third place, because it's inexpensive and it's a fun activity that can be really trendy,” Stemmle concluded.