I was going through my Facebook feed and saw that the place where I did my first paid live broadcast is closing down. Great Skates in Bangor will be closing in 2016.

Great Skates is closing next year. The owner, Tom Ellis says the reason for the Great Skates closure is the decline in people wanting to roller skate. Just the overall economics and as Ellis adds, upgrades would be needed and with the decline in interest it's not feasible to continue.

Ellis is keeping it open for another year at least so everyone will be able to have "one last great skate."

They are planning something big for their 20th birthday coming this October and planning a party in their final days.

As a radio personalities, we remember highlights in our profession like I’m sure many others people do in theirs.

I remember vividly getting to Great Skates early to do the remote (live broadcast) and trying to set up the equipment. Back in those days we used an RPU, or remote pickup unit. Often referred to as a Marti which is a brand of RPU.

You had to get an antenna just right to get a shot back to the station, it was a lot bigger of an ordeal than just using a cell phone like today.

We finally got the shot back to the station in Brewer I worked for at the time, and proceeded to do the broadcast.

It was just as much fun as it was work.

I rollerskated probably better than I did my live breaks and I hadn't been on roller skate in probably 10 years at that point. In the end it was all fine, I got a thanks, a smile as the owner was seemingly happy and I received $75 cash for the job.

Ellis who owns the property has no plans yet for the building after Great Skates closes.

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