Getting ready to roll again

Much work was put into getting the Rok-Sey Arena back into operation for area skaters.

From June to October last year, the building received a makeover after being vacant for four years.

It officially opened to the public this January.

But, then, near record-breaking flooding hit in June.

That's when the building, which sits just feet away from the East Fork of the White River on County Road 725 North, had 18 inches of water lapping the outside. But with some quick action by the owners, Glenn and Nancy Noblitt, and some last-minute sandbagging, only four inches flowed into the building, and much of the damage was confined to the skating rink's floor.

"There was a lot of anxiety," Glenn said. "We had a window frame of seven hours to prepare for the flood. Nobody really had time to prepare for it. It took all the sandbags we could get."

They were able to move much of the arena's contents, such as appliances, skates and furniture, onto higher ground. Some damage was done to the outside of the building, and floodwaters washed out part of the front parking lot.

Overall, Noblitt estimated nearly $250,000 in damage. Among the costs were powerwashing and cleaning the walls and carpet for $97,000, and the new floor, which is being installed by Martin Flooring of Louisville, at $78,000. Martin Flooring also redid the flood-damaged gymnasium floors at Columbus East High School.

Noblitt applied with Federal Emergency Management Agency and Small Business Administration for assistance, but gained nothing. The Noblitts did, however, have flood insurance, and their son, Nathan, said that helped.

"In this case, it did because it was structural damage," Nathan said. "In most cases, if it doesn't wash the building off the foundation, it's not covered. This was the structure part of the business."

Now that work is well under way, Glenn said, "I'm feeling pretty good, feeling a lot better."

It began Aug. 22, when plywood was placed on the floor.

"There is a quarter-inch Styrofoam under the plywood and that really makes kind of a soft floor," Glenn said.

Last week, work on the hardwood began.

"After they get the hardwood laid, they will sand it and give it two coats of finish," Glenn said. "Then they will be done with their part. This floor is No. 1 maple, and it's the same as in gymnasium floors. It's going to be a gorgeous floor, and it's going to be beautiful. It will be one of the best floors around."

Glenn and Nathan, who operate their own construction business, will then apply the carpet and laminate flooring, and the walls will be done by the middle of September.

"I'm expecting to have everything complete by Halloween," Glenn said. "But we'll probably be open before then."

Before Glenn and Nancy reopened earlier this year, the building had been vacant for four years. His cousins, Joe and Rose Mellencamp, owned Rok-Sey from 1965 to 2004. One night in the 1960s, four arson fires were set to buildings in the city, and Rok-Sey was among them.

Glenn, who was then serving as chief of the Seymour Fire Department, was on duty that night.

"They couldn't be at four places at one time," Nathan said, and Rok-Sey and a shelter house at Shields Park were the two buildings not saved that night. The Rok-Sey building, which originated in 1929, had to be rebuilt.

After Joe died, Rose rented the building out, but it eventually closed for several years before the Noblitts made an offer on it.

"It made us happy and we kept it in the family," Glenn said.

Nathan also liked it being back in the family. Glenn and Nancy's grandchildren, Isaac Allman, Jeremiah Noblitt and Cassidy Linnemeier, help out at the arena as well.

"It was time for somebody to do something with the building," Nathan said. "Eventually, it would've went to the wayside. It was an asset to the community."
There was much to fix.

"There were 14 holes in the roof, the trusses were broken in the ceiling and we cleaned and rewashed the floor," Glenn said. "We had to clean it four or five times to get the debris off."

By Halloween night, they had the place ready for the first party booking, and through the winter, business went well. In fact, the week of the flood, five parties were booked and a family reunion was set on the day of the flood.

"We ran from 80 to 100 kids every Friday and Saturday," he said, while some parties attracted as many as 300 people.

"We're just going to keep trying to make it better," he said. "I hope (flooding) doesn't ever happen again."

Now that work is coming to a close, the Noblitts look forward to continuing the Rok-Sey tradition in Seymour.

"We want something for the kids to do and the parents, too," Nathan said. "There is no profanity, no drugs, no alcohol. In that regard, it can be a true asset."
With a limited number of skating rinks in the area, Glenn said Rok-Sey is unique.

"This place is not like an ordinary skating rink," he said. "People all over southern Indiana know about it. We've got one at Seymour and we're going to get it open.

"I appreciate the business we've had. We love Seymour and the kids, and if we can keep 200 of them off the street and out here enjoying themselves, we don't have to worry about them. That's my goal, for kids to have something to do. We're proud of it and we're proud we could do something for the city of Seymour. We try to make it a pleasant recreation."

Rok-Sey Arena

Address: 7448 E. County Road 725N, Seymour

Hours: Subject to change, hours once Rok-Sey reopens will be 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Kids 12 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.