Black-owned skating rink rolls into Chicago history with 50 years of impact
The only Black-owned skating rink in Illinois has touched lives for decades. In a Fox 32 special report, Terrence Lee takes us inside the iconic space.
CHICAGO – On Chicago’s South Side, a city landmark isn’t just part of Black history, it’s a living celebration of it.
The backstory:
The Rink in Chatham is where Black culture comes alive. To really understand what makes it so special, you have to immerse yourself in the moments, big and small, that built its legacy.
People leave a piece of themselves in the places that matter most. One wall inside The Rink is one of those places. Echoes of laughter, triumph, and the kind of connection that never fades.
“It’s been here like 25, 30 years,” said Ramona Pouncy, co-owner of the rink. “When people come into The Rink, they look up and they go, there’s my auntie. There’s my cousin.”
Long before Ramona and her husband Curtis Pouncy took ownership of The Rink in 2019, they spent countless evenings there. Date nights spent floating across this floor, falling into the music, and falling into each other.
More than a decade before they skated into forever, the rink opened on June 10, 1975 at its first location on South Ashland Avenue.
One newspaper article captured the promise of a space built for Black families to gather and grow together. By 1983, The Rink outgrew that space, its roots needing a fresh plot that could conduct flourishing energy.
“Well, the building itself, it used to be an old electrical company and they did their manufacturing thing here,” Curtis said. “This was their corporate office as well.”
“Nate Simpson and Carmen Simpson, the founders of the rink, came in and just started a major conversion,” he added.
The Simpsons converted an old warehouse on East 87th Street into the new heartbeat of the community. For 45 years, the Simpsons kept the pulse strong, but when the time came to pass The Rink on, they needed someone who already moved to its rhythm.
The Pouncy’s did.
“We could not let this rink go because we knew it would devastate our community. And that’s why I said it’s bigger than us. And so, we had to buckle down and make a plan and decide and to be determined how to bring this rink back to its glory,” Ramona said.
That determination did more than save The Rink. It brought back its magic, including sleeker flooring, shinier lights, softer carpet and stronger lockers.
“Once that was done and the skaters came back, we had grown men in their 60s skating around here with tears in their eyes,” Curtis said.
The emotion spins beyond its walls gliding on screen, rolling onto sports’ biggest stage.
“We had a couple of skaters here that skated at our rink and they were actually in the Super Bowl last year with Usher skating,” Curtis said.
And circling through the music industry.
“Wilco did their video here,” Ramona said.
“They saw the JB stills from the videos. And I say ‘we want JB styles in our rock’,” Curtis said.
JB, short for James Brown, blends footwork, flair, and funk – a style born in Chicago and now seen across the globe.
“We’ll get people that will come here from London all trying all over the world saying, I saw the videos and I want to learn that JB skating style and they will come here and stay for an entire week and come every single day,” Curtis said.
Why you should care:
The Rink does more than teach skating. It teaches possibility. Kids step on the floor unsure of themselves and leave knowing exactly who they are.
“It has kept them out of trouble from joining gangs to getting involved with drugs and just put them on the right path,” Curtis said.
“Curtis and I, we might see some young people that are here every week, and they look a little down. You know, it’s nothing for us to go over and say, ‘What’s going on with you? You don’t have to tell me exactly what’s going on, but we want you to know that we care about you and whatever it is, you’re going to get through this’,” Ramona said.
“We’ve seen people, they might be into drugs or the wrong friends. I come here, you know, ‘you hang around the wrong people. You do it too much right now. So, you need to stop’, and I’ll be straight up with them,” Ramona said.
What they’re saying:
Growing up, Ald. Michelle Harris (8th Ward) also found guidance at The Rink.
“When you have places like this, they create an identity for you,” Harris said.
Now, Harris fights to preserve what shaped her and honor its legacy.
“They create memories which are certainly really important in developing who you become as an adult,” Harris said.
“This is one of the only African-American skating rinks probably in the state. So, when you think about what it means, it’s iconic, because to survive 50 years is amazing, number one. But secondly, to survive 50 years in an African-American community means that you have to jump through hurdles. You have climbed all mountains with a single bound. You have been Superman in this industry, and you’re still here,” Harris added.
Not just here, but unbreakable. Like the connection The Rink forges for all these faces and those who now call Chicago home. The kind of connection that never fades and always rolls forward.
What’s next:
“We want to have The Rink as an extension into our community and what that looks like, we’re open for it and that’s where we want to bring it for the next 50 years,” Ramona said.
Curtis and Ramona, who’s a certified holistic nutritionist, want to turn The Rink into a hub for wellness, education and mentorship. But before they look ahead, they want to look back.
This June, they’re planning a weekend filled with tributes to the generations who kept The Rink alive.
As soon as plans are finalized, they’ll update Fox 32 Chicago and post all the information on their website, RinkChicago.com.
Conclusion:
The Rink’s 50-year legacy is a testament to the power of community and the importance of preserving cultural heritage. As it looks to the future, The Rink remains committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for people of all ages to come together and grow.
FAQs:
- Q: What is The Rink?
A: The Rink is a Black-owned skating rink in Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood that has been open since 1975. - Q: What is the history of The Rink?
A: The Rink was founded by Nate