Retro Rollers Inc at The Boardwalk 1

Open until August 25th, 2024

Welcome to our temporary rink at 225-2 The Boardwalk in Kitchener Ontario

Below you will find all you need to know about our pop-up location and what to expect

Thanks for Rolling with us – we look forward to seeing you soon!

FRIDAY AUGUST 23rd

8pm- 12 Midnight

Admission $16.50 +tax

Rental Skates $5.00 +tax

225-2 The Boardwalk Kitchener Between Marshalls and Sport Chek

Retro Rollers Inc. in collaboration with KW Theys and Gays & Fruit Salad Hamilton

A roller skating extravaganza specially created for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and supporters

NO TICKETS SOLD, FIRST COME FIRST SERVED

Retro Rollers Inc at The Boardwalk 2

Programming:

Toonie Tuesday

$2 OFF Admission
$ 13
  • Plus HST
  • 7pm-10pm All Ages
  • Live DJ 7pm-10pm
  • Rental Skates $5+HST

Throwback Thursday

Adult Skate 18+
$ 15
  • Plus HST
  • 7pm-10pm Ages 18+
  • Live DJ
  • Rental Skates $5+HST

Fresh Friday

All Ages Skate
$ 16
50
  • Plus HST
  • 8pm-12am All Ages*
  • Live DJ
  • Rental Skates $5+HST

Social Saturday

All Ages Skate
$ 16
50
  • Plus HST
  • 4pm-7pm All Ages $15**
  • Playlist 4pm-7pm
  • 8pm-12am All Ages*
  • Live DJ 8pm-12am
  • Rental Skates $5+HST

Spin-Back Sunday

All Ages Skate
$ 15
  • Plus HST
  • 3pm-6pm All Ages**
  • Playlist 3pm-6pm
  • 7pm-10pm All Ages*
  • Live DJ 7pm-10pm
  • Rental Skates $5+HST

Fees:

(fees do not include roller skate rentals or HST)

$15……………Standard Rate (Sunday, Thursday)
$16.50……..*Premium Rate (Friday, Saturday)
$55……………**Family of 4, each additional family member FEE is $13 (ONLY APPLICABLE TO SAT & SUN DAYTIME SESSIONS)

$2 OFF TUESDAY FEES
$13…………..Standard Rate (Tuesday ONLY)
$5……………..Rental Skates (any day)

HST is additional to all pricing

ALL SPECTATORS ARE EXPECTED TO PAY ADMISSION
Exception: a parent or guardian watching their child.

No pre-registration. All admittance and rental skates are first come, first served.

We accept CASH CREDIT DEBIT, also contactless transactions.
Snack bar is CASH ONLY

Personal Inline and roller skates are permitted, and may be subject to inspection.

Minors 17 and under are required to wear a helmet.  We ask that you bring your own as we do not rent helmets (we do sell them).  Any helmet is acceptable.

Programming:

Monday night: CLOSED to the public. 

Toonie Tuesdays (7-10pm): Toonie Tuesday offers a $2 discount on admission for roller skating.  The music selection spans multiple generations, and the ambiance includes disco lights and a sparkling disco ball to enhance the experience. Snacks are available, and there’s ample seating in the lounge area for guests to relax and enjoy their treats and take breaks.

7-10 pm All ages ($2 off admission) The afternoon session caters to all abilities with house lights on (no flashing, or strobes), and low music level; this session is suitable for those with sensitivities, those in wheelchairs, and those who just want a quiet relaxed skate experience. The All ages evening session goes from 7-10pm features a DJ, Disco Ball, lights at a great price for those that want to try roller skating and don’t want to spend full price. Price $13 plus HST

Workout Wednesday: This day is reserved for Learn to Skate courses and QuadFit drop-in classes. Register HERE.  

Throwback Thursdays (18+ 7-10pm): Adults 18 and over can enjoy tunes they know very well known to the roller skating community, and can roll to your heart’s desire. A valid hardcopy photo ID must be shown at admission. $15 plus tax.

Fresh Friday (All ages 8pm-12am): There are many roller skaters that have never stopped skating, and would love to hear music that isn’t the same stuff.  Welcome to Fresh Fridays.  We will play a variety of new music that will fare well with roller skating, as well as b-side tunes or songs that just never got played as much as they deserved. $16.50 plus tax

Social Saturday – All ages: Bring your friends and make it about the feeling that roller skating brings.  We will make sure to offer theme nights on Saturdays.  These will be announced on our social media, so be sure to follow us! 

4-7pm – Playlist will be played.  Family rates are applied during the early session only. $15 plus tax

8-12 midnight – DJ will be playing music. $16.50 plus tax

Spin-Back Sunday – All ages: Much like Throwback Thursdays, we know the next generation of skaters love all sorts of music also, so roll out and feel the vibes from the 70’s, through to the 2000’s!  $15 plus tax

3-6pm – Playlist will be played.  Family rates are applied during the early session only.

7-10pm – DJ will be playing music. $15 plus tax

What to Expect:

What to expect ENTRY:

Upon entry, we will ask if you have filled out your waiver by asking your name and checking our database.  You may fill this out in advance easily by following the links at the bottom of this page.

Once we have your waiver confirmed, we ask for the admission fee and rental skates (if required).

IN and OUT privileges are granted to those that ask for a wrist band upon entry. If you forget, please ask before leaving for a wrist band.

If you are in need of rental skates, we will provide you with a ticket to take to the rental counter.  Provide the RRInc staff with your rental ticket and shoes, in exchange for your rental skates. 

You can try your skates on by sitting on the benches and chairs provided, or enjoy our lounge corner.

You are responsible for what you bring into the facility. We ask that you kindly not leave your belongings where they can be tripped on, or prevent someone from having a seat.  Lockers are not available. We recommend Fanny packs or similar on your person.

What to expect FLOOR:

The floor is concrete.  We have sealed the floor which has made it grippy.  Over time that will change and some slide will return.  Harder wheels will provide some slide, softer wheels will require you to pick your feet up more, and more effort to roll faster.

What to expect CONCESSIONS:

We offer slushies, bottled water, energy drinks, and various soda pop.  There is also a refrigerated water fountain available in the hall to the washrooms.  For food we are offering soft pretzels, Dippin’ Dots ice cream, popcorn, candy bars, and  “Kicked in the Candy” freeze dried candy.

What to expect PRO SHOP : We moved the entire contents of our Stratford store to Kitchener while we are offering the pro shop there, so expect all the accessories, skates and general comforts of our customer care to be offered.  Our pro shop will be open during all skate sessions.

What to expect MUSIC:

Toonie Tuesday: Mature (40+) session will be played from a playlist.  DJ will play a variety of genres.  70’s through to today’s music during the late session.

Throwback Thursday: 18+: DJ will throw it back to vintage times and get you in the feels through your wheels! 

Fresh Friday: DJ will keep things fresh with new tunes made for roller skating, or songs that just don’t get air, and deserve it.  

Social Saturday: DJ will fill the house with either a planned theme (see dates to come), or a variety of beats sure to keep you rollin’!

Spin-Back Sunday: Early session playlist. DJ will play all the classic roller skate tunes for the late session.

If there is no theme night, expect a wide variety of different genres and decades in music to appease the crowd that is present.  If you have an expectation during the evening (eg. a birthday celebration), please reach out ahead of time and this will be considered.  NOTE: If a song will clear the floor, it will not be played.  The DJ’s job is to keep as many people on the floor as long as possible.  If you are not fond of a song, we recommend taking a hydration break.  Let’s keep the vibe positive!  The DJ will surely play something that doesn’t toot your horn, and that’s ok.  That would be impossible to expect.  

What to expect PARKING:

Parking will not be an issue.  The Boardwalk is a top-rated destination for retail shoppers, and there is plenty of free parking available.

What to expect TRANSIT:

The Boardwalk Connecting Routes are 202, 204, 1, 4, 5, 13, 20, 29, 77. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

May I book out the rink for my birthday party?

  • We ask that you come celebrate your birthday during public skates.  Here at this temporary location we do not have party rooms, and no outside food or drinks are permitted
  • Let us know your child’s name, age and 1 song they would love to hear (check the theme and try to keep the request in that theme)
  • Snack bar is open during each public session
  • We recommend having each participant sign their waiver, and the parent in charge has all emergency contact numbers with them.
  • All participants under 18 must wear a helmet (any kind will suffice)

Do you have discounts for groups?

  • No, however you can save money by coming to our afternoon weekend sessions on Saturday and or Sunday and utilize our family rate $55 for 4 people, and additional participants are $13 thereafter.
  • or take advantage of Toonie(off) Tuesday $13 admission all day!!

If I have a party of 10, will you have enough rental skates to serve us?

  • Yes, we have almost 300 pairs of skates.  We rarely run out of sizes at any of our events, but if we do, someone might be without skates for 10 minutes at most.

I call, but there is no answer.

  • When we are open, we are active on the floor where the volume is fairly loud.  Taking calls at this time is very challenging.  If we are able to answer in a quite space, we will.  We recommend emailing us [email protected].
  • If you call us on Monday, we are closed and do not answer calls on this day.

May I use my inline skates?

  • Yes

Do you rent out inline skates?

  • No, only roller skates.

Can I come and watch my family skate?

  • We ask that spectators also pay admission as we count you as taking up space.  
  • Exception is made for one parent or guarding watching their child.

Why can’t I just watch?

  • We ask that everyone pay admission – mostly so that items don’t go missing from random strangers roaming and not skating, and also we don’t want to fill our space with non skaters.  Thank you for supporting our business.
  • Being mostly all ages, we want to protect and keep those here to have fun – safe.  Safe from those just watching them.  It’s generally kind of creepy.

What is QuadFit?

  • Dance moves are broken down into smaller increments, and drilled out to learn balance, and counter balance.  These things combined with muscle improvement where needed for sustaining a long-lasting love for roller skating. QuadFit is fitness on roller skates, and geared for those 14 and older.  Repetition is key so dress lightly, bring a bottle of water and wear as much gear that will help you try new things.  Welcome to QuadFit!  (1 class every Saturday at 2:30-3:30 and Wednesday night 7:30-8:30pm. More information is available on the class description.

Why are you only here for a short time?

  • We have a short term lease as that is how long this location is available for.  The next tennant will move in after we vacate

Where will you go next?

  • We are headed back to Downtown Kitchener in September on Friday nights (outside Carl Zehr Square)
  • After that, Phil and Elaine plan on taking a short break and continue to plan our full time rink in the KW area.  We are tired of moving too, and ready to lock in.  Are you ready?

Rules:

SKATE AT YOUR OWN RISK

Youth under 16 must be accompanied and watched by an adult or guardian.

Patrons under the age of 18 must wear a helmet. (Any helmet is acceptable, no helmets to rent)

All skaters must sign a waiver.  If you choose to decline, entry will be prohibited.

Socks must be worn with rental skates.  Socks are for sale in the pro shop.

No gum permitted anywhere in the facility. Food and drink are not permitted on the rink floor.

No carrying children while wearing skates.

Slower skaters must skate towards the center, and faster on the outside.  Hanging on to the exterior wall is prohibited and unsafe.  We have trained skate guards that will help you.

Horseplay that includes but is not limited to speed skating, tag, and anything else deemed by our staff to be inappropriate rink behaviour will receive 1 strict warning and flagged.  The second request will be to remove yourself from the rink surface, return your rental skates or remove your personal skates.  The third request will be to leave the premises.

Be considerate of others.  Use garbage cans provided.  Tuck items under benches and or chairs if leaving your items to skate, so others won’t trip and hurt themselves.  

Retro Rollers Inc. is not responsible for any lost or stolen items.

No person is permitted to assist others on the rink surface with shoes or sock feet.  Exceptions are only during an emergency.

All patrons entering the building with the exception of a parent or guardian watching their child will be expected to pay admission. Parents that are skating will be expected to pay.

Water is permitted, however no other outside food or drink is permitted.  Enjoy what our snack bar has to offer!  Our snack bar accepts cash only.

Skate in the same direction as all traffic on the rink surface. Your rink guard is there to help protect ALL patrons.  Please follow the instructions provided by the guard, and ask them for help if you are unsure of the request.  We are here to help make this a safe and fun experience for everyone.

LOOK before merging onto the rink.  If you need to exit the rink, look over your right shoulder and/or raise your hand to indicate to the skaters behind you that you are leaving the rink surface. This will help avoid unnecessary collisions.

Anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be permitted to enter.

Safety is a top priority in all roller skating programs. Measures such as providing protective gear, maintaining a clean and obstacle-free skating area, and ensuring adequate supervision are typically implemented to minimize the risk of accidents and ensure a safe experience for all participants. Additionally, staff members are often trained in first aid and CPR to handle any emergencies that may arise.

Waivers:

Waivers must be signed by all participants and by guardians of minors. You will only be required to sign a waiver one time.

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