Skating at Flushing Meadows

[AnOldSkateGuard]

I was a rink rat at Flushing Meadows Skating Rink in New York, site of the 1939-40 and 1963-64 World's Fair. Started going there in the mid 1950's and had the best times of my life. I'd like to see if any of the old timers are on this site and start a discussion group of what we all remember.
I remember a live organist, Walter Litt, (spelled phonetically) who played there for the first couple of years I went to the rink. After that it was taped music but most of it was taped from Litt's live performances.
I made life long friends at the rink once I started high school and to this day we have reunions every couple of years.
When I turned 16 I started working for the pro, E. Paul Von Gasner, holding up beginner skaters. Once I turned 18 I became a big shot, a skate guard, and have the best memories.
Those were the pre Zamboni days and we used to recondition the ice with a tractor pulling a cutter and a box to collect the shaved snow. Once the ice was cut we sprayed on water, squeeged and a final mist of water. It was a large rink and I remember the fastest we ever reconditioned the ice was 14 minutes. The persons on the cutter and box held on for dear life as the tractor was flying.
More to come...:)

[Isk8NYC]

When I skated there, they had a zamboni, so I'm not an old-timer, lol. I skated there in the 1980's.

I remember that, instead of having plexiglass around the rink, they had chain-link fencing. Which didn't show up when I took pictures of my nieces skating. They had an annual ISI competition, which was nice and well-run, but very small.

With Shea Stadium down, and the new Corona Park ice rink open/on its way, I believe the plans are for the World's Fair rink will be gutted and the New York Museum (which shares the building) will expand. I always loved the model of NYC in the museum. I could watch the little Roosevelt Island trams cross for hours! lol

I loved going out to the Globe and the World's Fair Pavilion. What a shame that they let the Pavilion go to seed over the years. Hopefully, that will be renovated as part of the new work going on in the Park.