Traveled to Baltimore to visit with family and everyone wanted to go roller skating. I remember the great times I had with family rollerskating and decided we'd try Pasadena Skate Center.
I have to say in 40+ years of skating I have never been so disappointed in a roller rink as I was with this one. The price to get in was simply outrageous! Then you walk through the door hoping that your entry fee was worth the investment you make for a family night out, Once inside the door your disappointment starts to mount. The floor in the common areas was filthy from the first step all the way through farthermost reaching corner. I walked in with clean wheels on my skates and within 5 feet was covered in a nasty film and pieces of things that indicate that they use a Big Lots vacuum reject. Then you start listening for music and realize it is coming from omnidirectional speakers tucked in the ceiling that appears to be driven by a home stereo amp. ""OK, the kids really want to skate"" I keep telling myself. After repeatedly cleaning my wheels from the nasty floor we get on the rink floor itself. This is a floor that is in need of serious care and maintenance. It was as dirty as the common areas and looked like it was never completely finished, It actually had the appearance of a wood floor that was left out in the weather. Their rental skates are in poor condition and from what I saw are not disinfected when returned. Wheels and laces were in such poor condition it's no wonder people had trouble skating in them.
Now for the fun part: A little sawed-off man in a traditional referee shirt comes up to me and says "" You're going to have to leave...We don't allow black stoppers here""! WHAT??? I guess he thought I was one of his teenagers that he could talk to any way he pleased. I argued that my stoppers were high grade and never left a mark on a poly or wood flooring anywhere I had been. He got more arrogant as he opened his mouth and more annoying the longer he breathed air. Another employee came to the rescue and made note that I had stopped using my toe stops right in front of them and guess what, NO MARKS! ""The manager has this policy because of marks on the floor"", You mean the floor that looks like it belongs in a stable rather than a roller rink??? He relented and said we can talk to the manager. The manager was another piece of work. Arrogant, condescending, and there you find where the little referee gets his attitude from.
Spend your money at another rink that takes care of the facility and it's clientele. Pasadena Skate Center fails miserably in both areas! If you want a pig sty to skate in at an overpriced run down facility, the Pasadena Skate Center is a great fit for you!
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