PHOTOS: Remember Skating on Main? The longtime Hamilton favorite is being demolished

Skating on Main, a longtime attraction on Hamilton’s West Side that closed last summer, is being torn down this week.

As we reported last August, the nearly 1.5-acre property at 1391 W. Main St. was sold for $950,000. The rink — built in the 1970s — was previously known as RoundUp Roller Skate Rink.

Kettering Health Network plans to build a medical facility there. Although plans for the facility are still being finalized, it is expected to include physician offices and outpatient services.

FIRST REPORT: New medical facility planned at former skating rink in Hamilton

MORE: Health care boom continues in Butler, Warren counties

Reaction to our reporting in August led hundreds to share memories of the business on the Journal-News Facebook page. Here are a few of the memories shared about the childhood hangout:

• “I began skating when I was three and spent every Wednesday night, Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon there until I was probably 15 or so. I was on the RoundUp’s first speed skating team and honestly have so many memories there. First love, first heartbreak, old friends who I have reconnected with on Facebook. In the late ’70s and early ’80s rollerskating was the thing to do!” — Jamie Bowling McCord Capehart

• “My dad met my mom there, or at least spent a lot of their dates there, if not for RoundUp I may not have existed. Grew up inside those walls myself. Skating parties for school, weekend skating with friends RoundUp was THE place to be on weekends, a few of my daughter’s birthday parties were spent there. Too many memories to count. … I wonder if they will give people the opportunity to get a piece of the floor when it’s torn down?” — Dale Lunsford

• “Was there the day the doors opened … I skated 3 nights and 1 day every week. I loved that place. Another childhood business bites the dust. So long old friend. Lots of awesome memories…” — Nancy Lynn Huffman-Thompson

• “My friends and I would go there every weekend at the age of 13 and skate to Van Halen “Jump,” “Panama” and “Hot for Teacher.” … Van Halen 1984 had just came out and that was one of the greatest periods of time in my adolescence. Sad to see the old RoundUp go.” — Ryan Broughton

• “Had to go with my brother every weekend. 1987. I was 12 he was 17. I was the the tag along … learned how to skate there. Years later I had my daughters’ (birthday) parties there, taught them how to skate. … Talk about memories!!!” — Patty Yancey

• “I started going there when I was 6. Didn’t miss a weekend, then this was my first job and I was there every time the lights (were) on. There are so many memories that I have of this place and it really kills me to see it go.” — Justyn Ratliff

• “Remember the “KISS” band playing at the RoundUp. I grew up in that place. Got my first real kiss there.” — Rodney Owens

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