IN a bid to foster a love for roller-skating and make it accessible to all, two local residents are hosting Durban’s first-ever pop-up roller rink.
Vicky Kettle and Jodi Smith are hosting the event called Rollatopia at the Durban Beach Club on Saturday, August 31, and have labelled the one-of-its-kind event a ‘roller-skating experience’.
The duo, who are co-organisers, have collaborated with the Durban Beach Club to use their premises for the rink.
Kettle, who also runs the roller-skating group, Hop, Skip & Skate, which helps new skaters get a feel for the hobby, said this event was one of many planned for the future.
Also read: Durban shows support for Worldwide Rollout Day
“We are all about growing the love for all things roller-skating in the Durban community. The concept behind Rollatopia is giving people the true roller-skating experience by hosting skate workshops, roller discos and skate meets. We are so grateful to the Durban Beach Club which has partnered with us for this pop-up rink, and skaters will have the entire polished concrete premises to skate around without any tables or chairs in the restaurant. They are clearing out the space to allow us to use it,” she said.
Smith echoed Kettle’s comments on the event.
“The coolest thing with a pop-up roller rink is you can pop up anywhere. We hope residents will come out and support the event, and for the event, we will also be renting out protective gear in the form of elbow and knee pads as well as helmets and roller skates. Of course, if you have them, you are welcome to bring your own skates on the date. We have two sessions for the day, and the space is limited to 40 per session.
“The first is a family-friendly one which is open to all ages. We will also have music, a fancy selfie area and disco lights. The second session is open to skaters above the age of 14 and for the more mature skater. Vicky did touch on it, but we want to bring roller-skating to the Durban community. We don’t have enough opportunities for this kind of event besides outdoor skating,” she said.
Also read: Durban’s eco-warrior puts the planet first
Event details
The Rollatopia event takes place on Saturday, August 31, at the Durban Beach Club (Browns Road). The cost to participate for a single skater with their own skates is R170, and it is R200 for those who need to rent skates and protective gear. The ticket includes a redeemable voucher to use for food or drink on the day. The pop-up roller rink has two sessions, 14:00 to 15:30 for all age groups and 16:00 to 18:00 for skaters over 14. Each session is limited to 40 people. Pre-booking is essential, and ticket holders will have access to underground parking at the club as well as the changing rooms. For more information, visit www.rollatopia.com or email info@rollatopia.com. You can also WhatsApp the organisers on 061 691 6732.
For more from Berea Mail, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.
Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here
