Mikhayla and Sierra Dugan, owners of the Gem City Skate on West Lake Road, had more than one reason to look forward to December.
For one thing, the couple, who purchased the former Presque Isle Skating & Event Center in April, knew from experience that roller rinks tend to be busiest during holiday breaks from school.
Waiting for the snow to fall
They had another reason to anticipate the season.
Mikhayla Dugan said her wife Sierra, who is from North Carolina, was looking forward to seeing a significant snowfall for the first time.
The snow, however, turned out to be a little too significant for the arched roof of their 17,000-square-foot building that was built in 1949.
“We ended up finding a couple of broken rafters from the weight of the snow,” Mikhayla Dugan said. “We ended up pulling down half of our ceiling tiles and saw it was a lot worse than we thought.”
Together, they decided to shut down the Millcreek Township facility until they could consult with a structural engineer and repairs could be made.