A roller skating company is looking to roll into Guelph next year.
Summer Solstice Skate Co. – or SUSO – operates pop-up roller skating experiences and has heard great things about what the Royal City has to offer.
"We're familiar with Guelph, and we know where Guelph is, but a location wasn't necessarily on our radar," Henry O'Brien, co-founder of SUSO, told GuelphToday.
But in what could only be described as a bit of serendipity, he was contacted by locals who alerted him to mayor Cam Guthrie's interest in roller skating, as well as a 2016 petition to build a roller rink in Guelph.
"The two combined, with the fact there is a big university there, and there might be lacking options for indoor roller skating in the winter months, the three things combined really opened our eyes," he said.
Options are being explored for 2023 when it comes to a location. One, being an unnamed mall.
"More recently, we started partnering more with malls, and to really help them re-activate their vacant space," O'Brien said, adding it also brings foot traffic to malls that may or may not be struggling.
He said it could be as soon as March that we could see this open in the short-term.
The hope is to find a long-term space to open in September, just in time for university students to return to town. O'Brien said they'd look to open for three to four months, and would explore longer if the demand is there.
Roller skates are rented by the hour, and booked online in advance to ensure your skate size is available.
Protective gear, like helmets and knee guards, can be added on to the rental.
O'Brien said it aims to serve adults for insurance and liability reasons, but is working with its provider about options to lower the age limit.
