As a teenage girl in the early 1980s, there was nothing much cooler than going to Wollongong Skateway on a weekend to roller skate under a disco ball to the latest Top 40 pop song.
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For those of us now in our 40s those days are a distant memory often re-ignited when driving past 2 Victoria Street – the location of many a roller skating Xanadu dream.
But with demolition work on the old Wollongong rink now underway, memories of replicating Olivia Newton-John as she smoothly glided around the rink are likely to move further to the back of ageing minds.
At a time when entertainment options for teens were limited to hanging out with friends in the newly constructed Wollongong Mall or seeing a movie at one of the only modern movie theatres around, the Town Cinemas, Wollongong Skateway was a popular place.
Just like the film Xanadu, released in 1980 by Universal Pictures and dubbed as a romantic fantasy and musical, being dropped off for a few hours on a Saturday afternoon, was utopia.
Wollongong Skateway was a magical escape. There was music, there was the freedom of rolling around the rink, there were other teenagers, there was a snack bar and best of all there were no parents.
The property was first approved by Wollongong Council as a roller skating rink in February 1980, operating as such until 1989 when it was approved for use as a non-alcoholic dance venue.
In the years that followed the property had many uses including a bulky goods warehouse, a place of worship and a men’s club.
Dormant for several years, the wrecking ball now looms for the old teenage haunt.
The 854 square metre site was sold in March for $1.2 million.
Ray White Commercial Illawarra managing director Ben Mostyn said the site was sold to a local investor as vacant possession.
“This was an exceptional opportunity to attain a quality, DA approved asset in the sought after CBD precinct,” Mr Mostyn said.
“We had strong interest in this site from both local and out of town developers and investors.”
A development application for demolition, excavation and structural works consisting of footings and ground floor slab was approved by council on October 16.
Demolition work at the site began earlier this month and is expected to be complete in the next few weeks.
While Mr Mostyn was reluctant to reveal details about the new development he said construction was likely to begin next year.
“The old building will be replaced by an A-grade commercial building that will service the people of the Illawarra,” he said.
