Cindercone
January 29, 1980
Discos, music, renovations of old buildings and endless dedication to exercise on four wheels have contributed in the past few years to a revival of one of the favorite sports of the 1950’s – roller skating.
Skates and skaters are seemingly everywhere, according to reports, and they can be seen in grocery stores, on college campuses and most of all, at the beach.
Some skaters prefer the more modern “disco skates” where brightly-colored tennis shoes are set atop the wheels for high-rollin’ disco dancing, while still others prefer the traditional high-top leather lace-up boots, usually in white or black.
The old metal and wooden wheels are also in short supply as they have been phased out by the new polyurethane wheels which are the only type permitted on most roller and dance floors.
And, not only has that craze hit the majority of cities across the country, where even barely walking toddlers can be seen rolling along with mom, but Lassen County may join if the owners of the old Cindercone Ballroom have their way.
Dick and Lucile Lisman first envisioned the idea of the ballroom as a roller rink about a year ago, one year after they purchased it.
Their vision is just now taking shape, however, and the Lismans are enthusiastic about the proposed May opening and the support of the community thus far.
“We’ve gotten a really good response from the people,” reported Lucile, who said that both kids and their parents have answered her ads put out through the local media.
However, she reported that there has been some negativism from many Susanville merchants, because people feel the rink should be closer to Susanville.
That fact is not deterring the Lismans who stated that if parents can’t take even one night a month off to take their kids skating then “they must not think much of their kids.”
Lucile additionally commented that currently families and groups travel as far as Reno for an evening of skating, and Standish where the old ballroom is located, is only 16 miles one way from Susanville.
Renovations will play a major part in the rink’s success, according to Lucile, since the whole inside of the ballroom will need to be changed.
The outside of the building will remain virtually the same as when Ed Bass first built it in 1930, according to Mrs. Lisman, but ramps will be added for handicapped persons and the skaters in case an emergency arises.
The old ticket booth now at the front of the building will also be removed to the west side where the new entrance is slated to be built. The current front doors will be used for exit doors only when the rink is open.
Inside the building, the entire ballroom floor will be used for the roller rink itself.
What was once the Cindercone snack bar will become the skate rental and pro shop area, but the arched counter will remain intact.
A “gigantic sound system” will be one of the major investments in the new business venture, and a disc jockey will sit in the southeast corner of the ballroom floor, housed in a higher level separate booth.
On the other side of the skate rental counter will be restrooms, a snack bar, a game room and even a separate birthday room for private parties.
The old bandstand railing on the east wall will be set back a few feet and strobe and disco lights will be set into the bandstand area Lights will also line the beams across the ceiling and will hang from the soon-to-be-updated chandeliers.
Lockers and a special unisex restroom for handicapped persons will additionally be installed. The Lismans feel their biggest expenditure for the success of the rink will be on the skates. The pro shop will sell and repair the four wheelers, which will be all precision skates.
The price of the skate rentals will be included in the ticket price for the session, according to Lucile, who stated they are trying to keep the price reasonable.
The Lismans have also replaced 144 pieces in the mirrored ball which hangs from the ceiling in the center of the room, and Lucile reported that the ball will be in working order for the opening of the rink.
Special nights and afternoons will also be set aside for the rink’s activities, with sessions for adults, teens and tiny tots, and special days for student and club activities.
Lucile noted that smoking will not be allowed in the rink at any time and once entered, persons will not be allowed to leave and come back in.
“When they come in they’re here to stay until they want to go home,” she said.
With the expected opening date only three months away, much of the community is eagerly awaiting the rink’s addition to area social life. It was reported that petitions have even been circulating at Lassen High School for the signatures of those in favor of the rink’s operation.
And Lucile doesn’t think the current gas crunch will affect the rink’s business because, as she said, people manage to get out to Eagle Lake and that’s, “a lot farther than Standish.”
“We think this will be great for the county,” she concluded. “It could even reinstitute family togetherness and involvement.”
BALL TO REMAIN — The original mirrored revolving ball from the Cindercone Ballroom’s heyday will remain in the facility when it becomes a roller rink in three months, according to the owners.
Over 144 pieces have been replaced in the reflecting ball, above what was once the hot spot of Lassen County, the Cindercone Ballroom, may become that once again when a proposed roller rink opens in May.
The huge 1930’s building has been the site of many brawls and dances in the years since it was constructed, and the current owners hope to tone down the brawls, but keep the fun going, right.
