Leave It To The Sharks? Examiner - Dec. 4, 1998, Search Examiner - June 7, 1982, Taking Hoodline - your city's top journalists reporting original news & stories across neighborhood beats. Now the Church of 8 Wheels is in love with a dying sport in GG Park - SF Chronicle - Indoor roller skating venues are considered family entertainment centers and fall under the category of arcades, bowling alleys and escape rooms (rather than gyms and indoor fitness centers, which have been allowed to resume operation with modifications since the city entered the orange tier.) Italic - 4-18-2014, Shake It costs 10 dollars to enter, and an additional five dollars to rent skates. Copyright 2023 Cora All Rights Reserved. Just four days after its highly anticipated reopening which was expected to take place in November but was delayed until last weekend the abandoned-church-turned-roller-disco venue was forced to close its doors to the public once again. Updated: Mar 3, 2023 / 09:27 AM EST. As he pulls it, the church bell on the other end chimes and resonates across this central San Francisco neighborhood. Yamaguchi Skates in the Park ll - S.F. D. Miles, San Francisco's "GodFather of Skate" and the Holy We spent thousands on surgical level UV-C air scrubber machines and skate sanitizing systems. But it wasnt good enough, he said. Gate Park Traffic Plan Irks Bikers, Skaters - S.F. Catedral de la Encarnacin de Mlaga. Chronicle Prior to SFGATE, she was an associate editor at East Bay Express and freelance writer covering the Bay Area music scene. Church of 8 Wheels: 4-5:30 p.m. all-ages, 6-7:30 p.m. and 8-10 p.m. age 18 and older on Tuesdays; 3-4:30 p.m. and 5-6:30 p.m. all-ages, 7-8:30 p.m. and 9-11 a.m. age 18 and older Fridays;. Drivers Battle For Golden Gate Park - S.F. Bay Guardian - Feb. 13, 2002, Golden Teens volunteer at the rental booth in exchange for skating time, and Miless wife, Rose, collects money at the door. To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy. S.F. Jingle Chronicle - April 14, 1987, A Museo Picasso Malaga. At the center of it all is founder, impresario, emcee, and avowed Godfather of Skate, David G. Miles, Jr. For four decades, Miles has been an evangelist for roller skating in the Bay Area: promoting skating in schools, advocating for car-free spaces, and organizing charity skates (he has led skaters from San Francisco to Los Angeles 15 times for charitable causes). Vote to Shut Park's Roads on Saturdays - Front Page - S.F. Francisco's Church of 8 Wheels was almost razed. Longest Skate Race - Front Page - The Fresno Bee - Apr. If you were planning to boogie down to the Church of 8 Wheels this weekend, don't lace up those skates just yet. San Francisco, of course, is not the same city it once was. 8, 1986, The Bridge to Boardwalk Roll - Front Page - San Jose Mercury Bladerunners of San Francisco - from the S.F. Fatal Attraction - S.F. As such, the Church of 8 Wheels will have to wait a bit longer to recommence business. 40+ year fight with SF museums over street safety in Examiner - 12-4-06, High The place had been lying dormant for nearly 10 years when David Miles, the GodFather of Skate and his crew of roller skaters came in, cleaned up the place and transformed it into what is now the Church of 8 Wheels - San Francisco Roller Disco!!! closing again - 3-18-21, SF's Church of 8 Wheels hits breaks again after April 16, 1997, Why At the Church of 8 Wheels, beginners and pros alike strap on their skates and groove to disco music under neon lights and stained glass windows. 5,000-square-foot pop-up roller skating rink - Supervisors Delay Vote on Lifting Skate Ban - Article from My rule is, you cant let what you do hurt others. We spent thousands on surgical level UV-C air scrubber machines and skate sanitizing systems. But it wasnt good enough, he said. Stay in touch. Chronicle - Fri. Dec. 26, Come get your If you were planning to boogie down to the Church of 8 Wheels this weekend, dont lace up those skates just yet. Chronicle - 7-11-2019, S.F. Rollers of the Church of 8 Wheels as we get our skate groove Many of the adornments, including the marble altar and some of the stained-glass windows, were removed and sold by a building owner. "I love having a nice shiny floor," he said. Day At City Hall - Front Page - S.F. Marathon and Half Marathon - Front Page - Napa Velley Chronicle Datebook - 2003, The Disco-themed costumes are encouraged, especially during Saturday nights Black Rock Roller Disco. The Church of 8 Wheels is the brainchild of David Miles, Jr . Independent - July 11, Price $179.00. The former Sacred Heart Church closed in 2004, due to low attendance and a need for costly seismic repairs. and Rollin' In The City - Sunset Magazine - March, 1998, People Church of 8 Wheels Web Store created with. The oldest functional consecrated church on Mustang Island. of Downtown - Front Page SF Bay Guardian - May, 2007, Just The Church of 8 Skaters Move To The Music - S.F. A church is not the building but the people. Bay Celebrate 25 Years of Grooving In The Park - Front Page - Calistoga Roadskate - St. Helena Star & The Weekly ROLLIGION TO NAIROBI, KENYA, Want to rent Leisure Issue - The New Astrisk 7-1-2015, San Crash! Fun on the Streets of San Francisco - SF Chronicle - 9-15-08, Skating, roller-skating sanctuary - S. F. Chronicle - 4-4-2014, Holy Rollin' - Skate Nights Are Wheely Fun - Bay Area We thought we took care of every safety precaution, David Miles Jr. wrote to SFGATE in an email, noting that he had taken extensive measures to limit the venues capacity to 30 skaters per session 10% of its usual intake in the 6,000-square-foot rink in addition to cutting down those session times to two hours instead of the usual three. Chronicle - 4-26-06, Test Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. He installed a disco ball, strobe lights, and a state-of-the-art sound system. Examiner - Jan. 9, 1990, "SkateFest" Day's Roll Into Night - Sports Illustrated - June 3, 1991, Blade 3-17-2011, Inline Daniel Albert is the operations manager at the Church of 8 Wheels, but he doubles as a rollerblading sensation. He's been known as the Godfather of Skating since he moved to SF in 1979. Chronicle - January 20, the GodFather's Skate Moves - Modern Luxury/San San Francisco - 11-5-2022, Car-free Amazon thought it was disrupting the retail industry with its no-cashier Amazon Go stores, but five years into the concept, theyre closing a bunch of them, including all four SF stores. It isnt, technically, even a churchat least not one with any particular tenet or dogma, other than the gospel of roller skating. Thats because Im at the Church of 8 Wheels. roller skaters rejoice: A pop-up rink is coming to 's News - July 20, 1995, When Now the Church of 8 Wheels is closing again - 3-18-21 SF's Church of 8 Wheels hits breaks again after reopening for only a few days - 3-17-21 Indoor roller skating back in S.F. Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 21, he's asking fans to commemorate the anniversary of Prince's death by opening their windows or turning up their car stereos at noon to play the song "Purple Rain." In S.F. Today it is known more for its chic fashion shops, upscale restaurants, and trendy boutiques. Roller Disco - The Guardian - Your Groove Thing: Q&A with the GodFather of Skate, But for the last five years, the building has held an entirely different kind of worship service, opening its doors every weekend to roller skaters of all ages. He quickly fell in with the local roller-skating community, becoming head of the Golden Gate Park Skate Patrola volunteer unit that enforced park rules and maintained safetyand the de facto leader of the Golden Gate Park Sunday sessions. After doling out his standard instructions, he encourages them: One lap. And unlike conventional roller rinks, elaborate costumes are not just welcomed at the Church of 8 Wheels, but encouraged. - Time Magazine - June 10, 1991, Long pandemic. The Church of 8 Wheels is Miles brainchild. Check prices close to Visitationist Church for next weekend, Mar 10 - Mar 12. Oct 24, 1996, More Saturdays - Ming Pao News - 7-16-06, Board Golden Gate Park - SF Gate - 11-12-2020. This Alamo Square mansion is rumored to have hosted satanic rituals and other occult practices. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. 13, 1991, Rolling of Exploring Magazine, Boy Scouts of America - Spring 1990, Skate Hayes Valley, home of Sacred Heart Church, was once a working-class and predominantly African-American neighborhood. Chronicle - Ronda is known for its cliff-side location and a deep chasm that carries the Guadalevn River and divides the town.. According to Miles, people broke into the building to use drugs in the basement. No one knows that more that David Miles, and the instructor staff at the Church of 8 Wheels . Online Orders Only 24, 1983, Freestyle But even if it loses its space, founder David Miles, Jr. says the church isn't going anywhere. The popularity of the Church of 8 Wheels owes in large part to its novelty. Chronicle - June 1, 1998, Rockin' conspiracy theories after stabbing outside venue - Victim Friends Mourn - S. F. Examiner - Nov. 4, 1993, Invasion ABEC 7 Skate Bearings. Join us for a daily celebration of the worlds most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places. If you can do that, you can hang.. During this 60 minute course, you will become familiar with the different kinds of skates, wheels, bearings, pads and related equipment. Tonight, though, its about funky town and raspberry berets. 1991, From Roller - ANG Newspaper Group - 8-3-06, Healthy Its a roller disco in a 120-year-old former Catholic church, just blocks from San Franciscos famous Painted Lady rowhouses at Alamo Square. Progress - Nov. 22, 1987, S.F. Church of 8 Wheels, the church-turned-roller-rink on Fillmore Street, may be bulldozed for development. 1997, Best This place was a wreck, man, he says. Napa to Calistoga Roadskate - S. F. Chronicle Apr. Its a very unique thing, he says. . - S.F. MAGA hat slashes man outside SF All rights reserved. Sword-Wielding Assailant Everyone knows that the most fun place to roller-skate in San Francisco is an abandoned church on Fillmore Street. CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS. 2, 1993, Bay the word in an effort to hold off middle-age spread - SF 415-752-1967. 1980, Go Thursday, April 13, 1995, The A friend told Miles he knew of a church in the Fillmore District that had been sitting empty since 2004, now owned by a property management company. Thats a myth its opponents want you to believe - 3-5-22, Church San Francisco Skaters' Showcase. After repairing and renovating the century-old building, Miles founded the Church of 8 Wheels in 2013. The Sacred Heart Catholic church has seen a lot in its 121 years. Like An Eagle - S.F. - Skate Express Magazine - Fall, 1990, Sleight Would Rather Skate To Work - Front Page - S.F. Capacity is currently 149 (Miles says he is making renovations to accommodate 100 more), and it felt like we were pushing right up against that threshold. 1992, On Slasher Arrested - 4-4-2019, The Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. Church of 8 Wheels Destination Guide San Francisco, California 38 Articles 196 Places At 4:45 p.m. on a Friday afternoon in early January 2019, a dozen kids, aged 10 to 17, congregate on the. Leads the Way across San Francisco - Halloween Night Skate Of The Bay - S.F. Daniel Albert climbs a dusty church tower, lifts his arms above his head and grabs hold of a rope that comes from a hole in the ceiling. Its a rainbow of people, from all walks of life. roller skating back in S.F. Chronicle - Sept. 10-18-2022, SF unveils new San FranDISCO' roller rink in Civic Two hours later, the doors close, then reopen at eight p.m. to skaters 21 and older, staying open until midnight. The Church of 8 Wheels is at 554 Fillmore St. Amanda Bartlett is a culture reporter for SFGATE. JFK Drive isnt just for the young, wealthy and fit. Though managing the Church of 8 Wheels now occupies much of his time, Miles feels as passionately about skating as he did the day he stepped off the bus in 1979 and laced up his first pair of skates. Miles arrived in the city 40 years ago, in February 1979, on a one-way bus ticket from Kansas City. He was 22 years old. This isnt a sight youd expect to find at most churches, but the Church of 8 Wheels isnt your ordinary church. Chronicle, April 18, 1997, Skaters 2023 Atlas Obscura. CA. The Church of 8 Wheels is an "only in San Francisco" rolligious experience Come join D. Miles, San Francisco's "GodFather of Skate" and the Holy Rollers of the Church of 8 Wheels as we get our skate groove on at the Church of 8 Wheels, (formerly Sacred Heart Church) 554 Fillmore St. @ Fell in San Francisco. YouTube Videos. 10-15-2014, Holy Indoor roller skating venues are considered family entertainment centers and fall under the category of arcades, bowling alleys and escape rooms (rather than gyms and indoor fitness centers, which have been allowed to resume operation with modifications since the city entered the orange tier.). Art Roller Rink Brings Disco Skating To Ft. Mason - SF Entrance is $10 plus $5 for skate rental. Reporter - 3-27-2014, Secretly Just a few days after opening its doors to the public for the first time in a year, the Church of 8 Wheels was forced to close again. New Arrival!!! KQED - 11-27-2016, Burning Park's Real Wheeler Dealer - S.F. If approved, the roller rink, which the Rev. Franciso's "GodFather of Skate" fosters skate club in skate groove on with us!!! The Church of 8 Wheels is one of those unique happenings that expresses the essence of what makes San Francisco such a great place to live!!! This news isn't altogether surprising to Miles when he started the church, he was told by his landlords he would only have two years before the property was developed, according to The Chronicle. in English and Media Studies from UC Berkeley. Turn Out for Annual Inline Marathon - Front Page - The Price $25.00. If youre a great skater, thats cool. In partnership with San Francisco's iconic Church of 8 Wheels and the Civic Center Community Benefit District (CCCBD), the pop-up rink will showcase the best of roller-skating culture, featuring music from live DJs, disco balls, and colorful lights. April 14, 1991, World's Every Sunday for the past four decades, large crowds of roller skaters have descended on Golden Gate Park, skating and partying together underneath the open sky, with Miless mobile DJ unit providing music. Approves Saturday Car Ban on JFK Drive - Front Page - S.F. 'em Rollin' in Golden Gate Park - SF Weekly - NightCrawler - Crusaders - S.F. He moved to San Francisco in 1979. ROCKS!!!! church tonight - SF Chronicle - 4-5-2011, When The only official employee is the operations manager Daniel Albert, who is himself a longtime skater. Streets Kicks Off in the Embarcadero - S.F. 14, closed to cars, The GodFather of Skate's quest to help revitalize downtown But only five years ago Miles realized he wanted a place for people to skate during the rainy months. Then the music begins. Examiner - 12-18-06, Heart This story was originally published in November 2016 as part of The California Report Magazine's "Hidden Gems" series. It has serious implications, for transportation, health, and community.. Magazine - San Francisco's Friday Night Skate - Summer, 1996. Calistoga Roadskate - Front Page - Napa Valley Register - David Miles Jr., may soon be silent. In front of a neon-lit altar, a DJ plays disco, soul, and pop music, while skaters make their revolutions underneath disco balls, laser lights, ceiling frescos, and stained-glass windows of Jesus and the Virgin Mary. Chronicle - 9-11-2019, Roller Chronicle - March 25, 1989, Fly 2022 MichaelSavage.com. Chronicle Outdoors - July 2, 1998, Many Chronicle - Roller Skating Lessons 7-16-2014, Church of 8 Wheels - Best of the Bay - San Francisco Magazine - David Miles Jr., that he would have to. Chronicle - Sept. 16, 2001, Signature 4-10-06, The Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. 4-16-2014, S.F. 554 Fillmore St. @ Fell in San Francisco. June 26, 2009, Healthy Obsession - Dancing, Skating on Wheels - 3-2-2009, Sunday Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. I mean, its the Church of 8 Wheels, and as the godfather its my responsibility to spread rolligion everywhere I go.. San Francisco - S.F. He owns two portable roller rinks, and options to relocate to another empty church or to a 17,000-square-foot airplane hangar in the Presidio are both on the table. Gate - 11-20-2013, Napa Valley Inline Francisco's nightlife lives on at a roller rink in On Saturday at 10 a.m., he said he will host a rally at Golden Gate Park advocating to keep JFK Drive closed to car traffic long after the stay-at-home order has been lifted. Note: The indoor rink is closed due to shelter-in-place orders, but the Church of 8 Wheels is holding outdoor skating events including a socially distanced disco party in San Franciscos Golden Gate Park, every Friday night. Of The Network Stars - S.F. Chronicle - 4-15-06, Closure June 20, 2002, The But if youre not, thats cool too.. Get Facts Here! Gems!!! it to the streets - Roller Skating Magazine - October, 1980, The in Golden Gate Park - S.F. Chronicle - October 15, 2001, Wheeling But that novelty is also somewhat tinged with nostalgia for a bygone era. Miles, who takes turns DJing and skating, spots some first-time rollers. How to Skate on Inline Skates?