Plans are now underway to renovate one of the iconic and treasured structures in Greeley, Colorado: the more than 100-year-old Warnoco Roller Skating Rink, located at 1407 2nd Street.
Opened when Warren Harding was president, the skating rink boasted a 160 foot by 80-foot maple wood skating floor. Music was not of the piped-in nature but provided by an organist.
Named in honor of the person who originally bought the property, local businessman Warrack Norcross, the rink, underneath a unique curved roof, thrived well into the 1980s. A decline in business, among other reasons, prompted the Norcross family to sell the structure to the Greeley Urban Renewal Authority in 2002.
Late last year the Boys & Girls Clubs of Weld County purchased the structure for $1.1 million.
Plans now call for upgrading the building, while keeping its essential architectural elements in place. According to reports, the Boys & Girls Club is expected to spend around $6.5 million bringing the building up to date, and adding classroom space as well as an outdoor patio, soccer field, and basketball court.
Work could begin on the restoration by this summer with a general 2024 completion date.
By Garry Boulard
