June 6, 1970 — What Kingston Was Like the Day Skateland Opened

Culture by People Magazine
Documentary Series
The Story of Skateland, Half-Way Tree

Chapter Two — An Ordinary Saturday

Some stories begin with a person.

Others begin with a place.

This one begins with a Saturday morning.

It was June 6, 1970.

Kingston woke beneath warm Caribbean skies. The morning temperature was around 79 degrees, climbing toward 88 degrees by afternoon. The forecast called for a mainly fair day, with scattered evening showers expected across parts of the island.

Morning radios were already humming. JBC and RJR carried the day's mix of news, weather, horse-racing updates and popular music, while JBC Television prepared another full Saturday of programming before the National Lottery drawing later that evening.

People headed out to the Carnation Market in downtown Kingston to buy their ground provisions, while others shopped at supermarkets and neighbourhood shops to pick up Grace "The Good Food People" products.

For five cents, a copy of The Daily Gleaner landed in thousands of Jamaican hands.

Most readers had no idea they were holding a newspaper that quietly marked the beginning of something the island had never seen before.

But before that story unfolded, Jamaica was simply being Jamaica.

Across the city, life carried on as it always had.

Government & Politics 

Prime Minister Hugh Shearer continued leading a young nation preparing for another Independence season.

Politics also made the news. The Daily Gleaner announced a PNP broadcast on JBC Radio for Sunday, June 7, featuring David Coore.

The Festival Song Competition was already capturing the country's imagination. Among the favourites was Hopeton Lewis and his entry, Boom Shaka Laka, a song that was quickly becoming one of the tunes many Jamaicans were talking about as the island looked ahead to Independence.

Others noticed that Air Jamaica was celebrating another milestone with its inaugural direct flight to Chicago, a reminder that the young nation continued reaching beyond its shores.

Jamaica Omnibus Services announced adjustments to bus fares.

Sports

Sport was also taking centre stage. At the National Stadium, the JAAA Carreras National Championships—the country's two-day "Mini-Games"—brought together many of Jamaica's finest athletes as selectors looked ahead to next month's Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. Among those expected to compete was a young Donald Quarrie, whose name would soon become part of Jamaica's sporting history.

Some people were already studying the day's selections for Caymanas Park, hoping to pick a winner before the first race.

Shopping Around Kingston

At Wonard's, a brand-new Gibson refrigerator could be purchased for J$214, with monthly payments beginning at J$3.43.

Motor dealerships were also advertising the latest models during that period. Buyers could choose from a Ford Escort, a Hillman Hunter or an Austin Maxi, priced at J$2,250.

Kingston Cinemas

Kingston was full of life and offered its usual choices for entertainment.

Cinema signs around Kingston announced the day's films. Early moviegoers could catch a matinee starring Anthony Quinn in Anzio at the Carib Theatre, Rampage at Apache Wells, or a double feature at the Regal Theatre starring Jeff Chandler in War Arrow and Audie Murphy in Drums Across the River. 

By evening, the choices only grew. Midnight Cowboy played at the Premier. McKenna's Gold screened at the Gaiety, while the Ambassador featured Good Luck Gringo for adult audiences. At the Ritz Theatre, moviegoers could see The Valley of Gwangi. The Tropical showed A Man Called Adam starring Sammy Davis Jr. The Majestic presented I Crossed the Color Line. At the Palace, James Bond returned in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, while audiences at the Odeon Half-Way-Tree could watch Judoka Secret Agent. At the Deluxe Theatre, audiences could catch Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Even the State Theatre, which would later become my favourite place to watch karate triple features ("kickers," as we called them) in the late 1980s, appeared in the newspaper that day. There would be no film show on June 6 because the theatre was hosting the Mico Graduation Exercise. Instead, it promised a giant action triple feature the following day—a reminder that Kingston's theatres were more than places to watch films; they were part of the city's community life.

And if you preferred your movies beneath the open night sky, the Harbour View Drive-In was showing Goodbye, Columbus, advertised with the provocative tagline, “Every father’s daughter is a virgin.”

Cinema tickets in 1970 could cost anywhere from 20 cents to $1.00, depending on the theatre and the show.

Families could spend the evening at the Ward Theatre, where the National Pantomime was drawing audiences.

Music and Dance

Music was never far away.

Music lovers could "Swing Right On" with Byron Lee and the Dragonaires at one of their many performances.

At Devon House, Count Owen and his Calypso Band provided another soundtrack to the weekend.

Boxing fans could head to the Dragon Gym, where a ringside seat cost just one dollar.

As night fell, Kingston's nightlife came alive. At The Tunnel, the heavy sounds of The Inner Circle filled Kingston's action spot, with Bunny Fielding-Clarke featured on the night's entertainment. Elsewhere, Merri-Tone invited dancers to "Peyton" in Red Gal Ring, Stony Hill, one of the city's popular weekend dance spots, now remembered as part of Kingston's entertainment history.

Over at Trafalgar Square, the Psychedelic Shack tempted patrons with its weekend special of roast suckling pig, curry goat and roti before the disco party carried the night into the early hours.

These were the ordinary rhythms of Jamaica.

It was an ordinary Saturday, unfolding like countless Saturdays before it.

Somewhere in Half-Way Tree... 

Nothing suggested that before the weekend was over, the island would quietly welcome a sport it had never known before.

Young people laced up their Bata Speedrite shoes, not knowing that another kind of footwear would soon begin rolling through the city.

Half-Way-Tree was already one of Kingston's busiest places. Buses arrived. Cars passed. Shops opened.

People walked along the sidewalks without realizing that history was quietly waiting nearby.

Because on this ordinary Saturday...

Behind one set of doors...

Jamaica was about to welcome something it had never had before.

Its first roller skating rink.

And its name was...

 

(Coming Soon)

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Research Note

This chapter was researched using reports, advertisements, public notices, and listings from the Jamaica Daily Gleaner archives from June 1970 to help reconstruct the day Skateland opened.