North Avenue Rollerway

Located in Maywood Park, Illinois The North Avenue Rollerway was a unique rink with living quarters above the rink that three generations of the owners raised their children.  Originally built as an outdoor rink, the floor was 237 feet long.

Paul Grosnick played the organ at North Ave. The pipe organ was installed at the end of the floor so skaters could see all the pipes and gadgets working as he played. There's no sound like a pipe organ no matter how they try to reproduce it. Skaters today will not get to hear the grand sounds and feel the movement of the floor as the bass keys were played.

Owned and operated by the Seipp Family since 1941, this was the largest rink in the Midwest. It featured a pipe organ at the south end of the floor and featured some of the greatest organists in the country. The family lived in a huge circular apartment above the front of the rink and had a window to view the floor in the living room.

North Avenue survived a fire and rebuilt to be even better and produced many champion skaters, some of whom are still teaching today including Sandy Halloran seen here on the last night at North Ave with her championship pictures. Sandy taught at many rinks including the Orbit Skate Center

This web master took lessons from Carol Seipp and spent many wonderful hours on that huge floor and wish the rink was still there today.The last night that the rink was open, there was a big party and hundreds attended. We danced, skated and took away memories that will never be forgotten. For an extensive history of the rink, written by Jim Norini and Deb Damen, please click on the links in the menu.Mary and Bill Marek were the 1961 USARS National Junior Dance Silver Medalists. Mary is still skating at The Orbit today.

Thanks to Mary for all the new photos, it's wonderful to be able to have more on North Ave.