ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Ice skating fans and athletes in North Fulton County call it the end of an era.
After nearly 30 years, an ice skating venue known as The Cooler will trade the ice for pickleball courts.
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Fans of The Cooler have signed a petition to stop the change. A petition at Change.org has over 6,700 verified signatures. But at the end of the month, the owner plans to hang up the skates and bring on the pickleball paddles.
No matter the age, people come to shuffle and slide and show off their skating skills at The Cooler.
Erika Harris is a figure skater who’s been coached at this rink for more than 20 years.
“Of course, we’re all devastated here in the skating community here in Alpharetta. The Cooler is an institution and we’re just heartbroken,” Harris told Channel 2′s Bryan Mims.
Tom Bardis opened The Cooler in 1997. When Mims requested an interview, he was unavailable Wednesday and other employees declined to comment.
On Facebook, Bardis said he and his family have always done everything they could to keep The Cooler open, “But now, it is time for the next chapter for our family.”
“We have made the incredibly difficult decision to move forward with a new business that we believe will continue to serve the community in a meaningful way,” Bardis said in a statement. “Please know this decision was not made lightly, nor without heartfelt consideration for all of you who have called The Cooler home.”
After March 31, The Cooler will transition to be the home of 16 pickleball courts.
“It’s disappointing because I think there’s already enough pickleball courts around tennis courts and all that,” Ashton Kapoor said.
Skaters said the owner has told them that high operating costs and the popularity of pickleball drove his decision. Now skaters have to find their ice elsewhere.
“So to lose this figure skating facility is really devastating, not only to the skating community but Alpharetta in general,” Harris said.
Bardis said he is not selling the building or the business, he just has a new vision for the space and believes the community will benefit.
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