I was speaking with a Streetwise vendor downtown, and he mentioned that he roller skated when he was a prison inmate.
Of course, this was new to me. You know I had to follow-up on that, right?
I contacted the Illinois Department of Corrections and they confirmed that some facilities offered roller skating for recreation. They didn’t have a lot of information for me but that will added to my research. I’m going to check out other prisons, too.
If you or anyone you know was locked up in the 70s and 80s and used to roller skate OR if you were a correctional officer or other employee at these facilities during that time, please let me know. That was be an amazing addition to my book. Our conversation will be completely confidential.
Wow, prisoners on wheels…
Roller-skating is also a popular sport, and it is even thought that it might soon be added to the Olympics. Skate-parks that have been designed to accommodate the resurgence of skateboarding can also be easily used for roller-skating, and skaters can pull off similar tricks and manoeuvres to skateboarders this way. Roller skate racing is also quite popular, with people competing to get from one side of an obstacle course to the other in the fastest time.
Joe, thank you for sharing that information about skateboarding and roller skate racing.
Hey Joe, thanks for sharing this information. Do you have any pictures of roller skating in the skate parks?