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In the early 1950s, the newly formed Atlanta Figure Skating Club was already a U.S. Figure Skating member, but its growing number of members were practicing in a wrestling arena garage.
Seeing the need for a rink, the Nicol brothers built The Igloo on Roswell Road in Buckhead. For several years, the ice surface was where the club practiced and Atlantans took to the ice to learn to skate. Atlanta once had several rinks inside the city, including one at Colony Square, although none of them still exist.
Eventually, The Igloo was replaced by Jellybeans, a rolling skating rink.
– Caroline Parsley, The 100 Companies
6 comments
I skated at the Igloo (both the original and the “Bigloo”) as a child. I was a member of the Atlanta Figure Skating Club and took lessons from Fran Pappas. My father played hockey there and at Iceland. I skated at the Ice Capades Chalet at Colony Square as well as on the “Land of the Green Ice” at the Omni International and at Shenandoah. I tore up my knee in high school at Parkaire thus ending my skating career. I was wondering what the address of the Igloo was. I’ve driven down Roswell Road a zillion times, but my how things have changed. Thanks for the great article. Having grown up in Atlanta, I have many memories of places from days gone by and am always surprised to find some of them still around.
Thanks for reading! The Igloo was just south of Mo Mo Ya Japanese restaurant.
I started skating at the The Igloo when I was 21 years old – ended up spending the next 40 years figure skating! What memories!
Do you remember The Ambry restaurant very near there?
I worked there in the 70’s…great food, steaks!! Kim
The Igloo was our favorite birthday party place when my sister and I were kids. Thanks for the memory!
Anyone have any pics from skating at the Ole rink in Buckhead, love to see a few, pass along a couple & share the memories. Thanks Al Whitton