Wheels R Rollin

Jordyn Voisin features editor Roller skating became a popular pastime across the United States in the 1880s and made its way to South Louisiana in 1869 when the first rink opened in New Orleans.  Since then, multiple rinks have come and gone along Southeast Louisiana, including Aggies Skate Connection in Houma, Wheels R Rollin in Schriever, Plaquemine Pop-up Skating Rink, and The Skate Connection in Patterson. Teenagers and young adults would spend their weekends skating, attending lock-ins, and hanging out with friends at their local rink. Skylia Concienne attended Patterson’s popular rink, The Skate Connection, while growing up in the 2000s.  “My favorite thing was how simple everything was; you got to hang out with your friends in a safe, controlled environment,” Concienne says. The rink offered different food and drinks as well as a fun, laid-back atmosphere where kids could not only skate but dance and hang out all night long. Celena Cunningham Courteaux, who ran The Skate Connection from 1987 to 1988 says,  “I loved meeting people and making new friends at the rink.”  “I loved meeting people and making new friends at the rink.” Celena Cunningham Courteaux Courteaux recalled lock-ins and birthday parties as the main events that kept people coming in, but sadly, the rink couldn’t stay afloat and closed its doors after 30 years in 2010.  “Many rinks close down because of the mom-and-pop owners tiring out, and wanting to retire,” says Tish Foret, the owner of Aggie’s Skate Connection in Houma. “The rink then gets bought for its size and property.”  Foret says that when people buy the rinks they don’t keep them as rinks, but usually use them for other things. The Skate Connection is a perfect example. It is now converted into apartments, a church, and a thrift store on one side, and a snowball stand on the other.  Despite the closures of various rinks like the Plaquemine Pop-Up Skating Rink and The Skate Connection, Foret’s rink is still going strong. Aggie’s opened in 1998 and Foret has owned it for 25 years.  “It’s not that kids don’t skate anymore, it’s a lack of people with a passion to run a rink,” Foret says. “You have to be a total extrovert and love talking to people and being in a party atmosphere.”  Aggie’s biggest asset is the skating parties that they hold. The customer has the option of a two-hour party on either Saturday or Sunday including food and beverages of their choice.  Multiple generations over the years have come to Aggie’s to skate and Foret says they have many loyal regulars that come skate every weekend.  “I love when kids that were regulars grow up then come back with their children,” says Foret. Although rinks may not be as popular as they once were, there is still a piece of them that lives on in the kids who grew up on those wooden floors.  more skating coverage

Zoe Hebert Staff While many skating rinks in the Bayou Region have closed, Aggie’s Skate Connection in Houma is still going strong, celebrating their 25th anniversary March 7. “I love watching my customers smile, laugh, and truly enjoy themselves,” says current owner Tish Aguillard, who has managed Aggie’s since 1998. “I try to play all happy go lucky good vibe music for them.” “I love watching customers smile, laugh, and truly enjoy themselves.” Tish Aguillard The rink is part of a family tradition that started with Aguillard’s grandfather, Raeburn Ardoin, in 1952 when he built his first skating rink. Aggie’s has had several names and locations, but is now down to just Aggie’s Skate Connection on Main Street in Houma, which opened in 1998. For many adults now, skating was a huge part of their childhood years. Aggies was and still is the place where many young children learn how to skate, have birthday parties, and take school field trips. It even has been the spot for people to book private events,  skating all night.  “One of the best memories I have from there is when we would all stop in the middle of the rink and start dancing to the Chicken Dance,” says Julia Eagle, a former Houma resident. “It was awesome to see everyone come together collectively, dancing and having fun to this classic party song.”  Aggie’s Skating Connection Owner Skating at Aggie’s Aggie’s Skating Connection 2000 Dancing at Aggie’s 1999 more skating coverage

Victoria Davis- Abad Staff The Plaquemine Skating Rink, also called the Plaquemine Pop-Up, opened in 1953 and closed in the late 1970s to early 1980s. The wooden floor rink was in an off-the-ground, temporary tent that was set up as soon as school closed for summer. The skating rink even sparked a Facebook group with almost 200 members named Plaquemine Skating Rink for people to share memories. The group  is filled with summer memories of cold Coca-Cola and great music from the 1970s with songs from Glen Campbell and Phil Collins.  John Dupoint, a member of the Facebook group, says the skating rink was the ‘typical grungy, old joint in a small town’ that he remembered fondly. People could skate around the rink to Cold as Ice by Foreigner.  As of 2023, all that remains of the old skating rink location is the Mike’s Club. There is no sign of a tent around the permanent building which is a bar that has also since closed. As people pass by on the highway, they will never see the summer skating rink. Mike’s Club Mike’s Club 2023 more skating coverage

Dominic Lasseigne Staff Wheels-R-Rollin was a roller skating rink located in Schriever, Louisiana, open from 1980 to 2014. The rink offered public skating sessions on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. They also offered private parties, group events, and skating lessons. According to Gerard Clement, the current owner, the rink was remodeled in 2012 and renamed Skooter Gee’s Skating Rink. The remodel included a snack bar and pool tables.  Maria Ledet Clause, born and raised in Thibodaux, frequented the rink when she was in fifth and sixth grade. She says that the cool kids would skate backwards with their significant others. In December 2014, the rink closed permanently due to lack of attendance. In the years following, Gerard and his wife Cindy McLaughlin Clement worked on remodeling the building once again. In 2016, the Clement family reopened the building as an event venue named La Patinoire, translating to The Rink in French. La Patinoire The Snack Bar more skating coverage