| # | Comments |
|---|---|
| 401 | I traveled for 11 1/2 hours just to skate at the legendary Empire Roller Rink. It is true that a rink has its own spirit. This rink has a true spirit. When a vital piece of the community is removed, the children in particular have no where to go but to get into trouble. Skating rinks keep children excersiing and moving (our nation has an alarming rate of obesity). Closing any skating rink is only going to add to this. Crime will go up, if you have nothing for the children to do they will find it on their own. Look at the movie Roll Bounce, how do you think all that talent and dedication ended up in that rink. This is not something that just comes naturally, it takes decades of hard dedicated work to perfect what comes from an emotion inside. The desire and ability to express yourself in the true form of your passion. I am a 40 year old female with 3 children, I have been skating for 38 years, I have been in my home rink here in Dayton Ohio for 30 years. My children skate and have developed their own skills and teach the younger skaters how to do things. I depend on my children and those that I have adopted at the rink to carry on the legacy of what we do. Closing Empire is not only devestating to the older generation but is sending a message to the younger generation that "We don't care about you" |
| 402 | i;v been to empire most my life and im 31 now. my children love empire's environment and this is the best rink there is. please help save it from being sold or destroyed. |
| 403 | I have been skating for 40 years at empire and can attest to the need for such an establishment as skating requires time and discipline and keeps a lot of children off the streets and out of trouble. For the most part it is a very positive environment and outlet for children teens, and also the 30 and over crowd. I am 47 and in better shape than some 25 year olds because I am an avid skater. I owe my life and health to skating and if they are going to sell the property a stipulation should be put in place for the buyers to use some of the profit to relocate Empire. |
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| 405 | Please do not close down Empire, Like the above petition states, this is a place of fun, peace, joy, memories were made here, loved ones join here, Don't take away a peice of History. |
| 406 | Save the Empire - It's a U.S. National Treasure! and Great tourist destination! http://www.rollersktin.ca Ontario, Canada |
| 407 | Yes too many good rinks have closed in the past five years. |
| 408 | From the time I could walk, I've skated at Empire. It would be tragic to loose this community treasure. It served as therapuetic venue. When I lost my brother, and best friend, a group of family members were able to transition from grief to comfort by spontaneously deciding to go skate the night of the funeral. This gave many of us an opportunity to celebrate his life and death by doing something that we all shared in common- skating at Empire. I would hate to see it go after 45 yrs of enjoying Empire. Rod |
| 409 | Please keep Empire open. Listen to the community! |
| 410 | I sign with great respect i love to skate at Empire and so does my kid .it would be a great loss . |
| 411 | HELLO I'M A BORN AND RAISED SKATER, LEARN AT UTICA ROLLER SKATING RING AND WHEN THAT PLACE BURNED DOWN, I CAME TO EMPIRE AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THE RINK THAT I SKATED EVERYNIGHT THEY WAS OPEN AND ALL DAY SAT.. I HAVE MOVED TO WASHINGTON DC IN THE LATE 80'S BUTEVERY TIME I GET HOME SICK FOR THE EMPIRE I COME HOME AND THE FUNNY THING IS THAT RIGHT NOW I CAN SKATE UNTIL I HAVE THIS SURGERY AND MAKE MY LEGS STRONGER BUT I STILL NEED THE RINK IN MY LIFE. EMPIRE STOPPED ME FROM MAKING A WRONG CHOICE IN LIFE AND TO EMPIRE ROLLER DOME , AND BIG BOB THE DJ. THANK YOU TIMOTHY LEWIS A.K.A DJ. KRAZY D'LIGHT SKATE & PALACE |
| 412 | This city needs fun activities that all can enjoy, that does not cost too much.thats easy to get to and where a sense of family means more then how much money you have or what designers name you wear. |
| 413 | PLEASE SAVE THE SKATING RINK. IT'S A SHAME THAT SOCIETY WANTS TO TAKE AWAY ANY ENJOYMENT THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS SHOW AN INTEREST IN. IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT THE RINKS ARE PLACED IN BAD AREAS, OUT OF THE WAY. WHAT'S THE HARM IN HAVING A SKATING RINK, IT'S LOTS OF FUN, ENTERTAINING, GOOD EXERCISE, AND ETC.... SAVE OUR RINKS!!! |
| 414 | I wish I'd known about this petition sooner. |
| 415 | Keep fighting - Don't give up!! We had to fight for our rink in London, Ontario, CANADA and it worked. |
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| 417 | Truely a sad day if this comes to light. One of the main reasons I intended visiting the city. |
| 418 | Please save the rink! Now that Roxy is closing, there will be NO indoor rinks left in NYC!! How can this be, in the city that has everything?? And with the obesity crisis in children...we need skating rinks more than ever!!! Please don't let it be destroyed!!! |
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| 423 | PLEASE SAVE OUR EMPIRE ROLLER SKATING RINK. |
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| 425 | I like to skate at Empire and I like to watch all the dance skaters. I consider Empire to be an important landmark and thriving hotbed of American performance art and culture. -Rockey Washington Heights, NYC |
| 426 | I grew up on Lefferts Avenue, two blocks from what we called, "The Rollerdrome". We kids hung out there in the '60s and it must be noted that, although we had our kid skirmishes, there never was one shooting, stabbing or bloody fight. I do want to save the rink as a precious Brooklyn childhood resource but the sad truth is that the violence that now occurs at the rink must be considered as a major contributor to its closing. |
| 427 | The Empire is the LAST roller rink in the NYC area now that the Roxy has closed. Please keep this STILL FLOURISHING community space alive! |
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| 429 | im 14 years old and i have been going to empire since i was old enough to walk. i love to skate there and my mom grew up there and she still goes on tuesday nights. its such a fun place to be and i would hate for it to close |
| 430 | Please! Its the only place left in NYC. Dont close! Its always packed when I go. Its a huge importance to the community |
| 431 | I felt heartbroken when I heard this news. As a resident of Crown Height for 20-plus years, Empire has been a constant source of fun and entertainment for me and my family. My mother skated at Empire and taught both my sitster and myself how to skate there. i spent many Saturdays in Empire and my mother knew that I was safe and with friends who would walk me home and protect me. Later, I taught my 6 year-old son how to skate there. We can't loose Empire, this rink means to much to kids, adults and the community. If this sale happens, i'll be sad to see it go. |
| 432 | KEEP EMPIRE ROLLER SKATING RINK OPEN!!! |
| 433 | My heart dropped when I received this news. Where will I go now? As an adult just coming into the skate world for only five years now, I love empire. It is the only place that can go to get my skate groove on, my work out on, as well as coming to know so many other skaters from diverse backgrounds. Empire has been my stress reliever. My children were just beginning to get into the empire skate scene. My daughter had her birthday party there with her friends. She has grown to love empire. Where are our children supposed to go now? What affordable and fun recreational programs are there for our children in "my" community??? |
| 434 | My 10 year old son loves this rollerskating rink...This rink is a landmark.....It would be a shame to close....All the kids love to skate....Especially at Empire.. |
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| 439 | I learned how to stand on skates at Empire almost before I could walk....... |
| 440 | i go to empire every saturdaii it was a place where me and mah friends would hang out. It was fun and entertaining and for them 2 close it iz wrong i know madd kidds that go there and they actually enjoy it. DONT CLOSE EMPIRE |
| 441 | i love empire please don't close it |
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| 443 | Don't close the skating rink!!!!!!! |
| 444 | DONT"T CLOSE EMPIRE!!!!!!!!!!! |
| 445 | We are so saddened to learn that the Empire is scheduled for closing. There are so many wonderful memories there - for generations of skaters. Prayerfully, the new owners will reconsider their decision. Me and my skating friends in DETROIT hope to continue visiting the Empire for many years to come! Kim |
| 446 | i love empire. datz a place i can hangout and skate with my friends. and its the closest one that i know off. dont shut it down! |
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| 449 | why shut down the only skating rink accesable to everyone! i mean people actually look forward to skating there n now u telling me your shutting it down because your not getting enough money come on now u make millions! DONT CLOSE THE ONLY FUN BROOKLYN HAS LEFT! |
| 450 | empire has been here for a LONG time and tearing it down would be a dissapointment to children/teens, and skaters everywhere. it is a historical venue that should be kept around LONGER. if you were still to tear it down, you could build another empire that's even better. think about us... |