Perdue’s hope to continue legacy of Skatezone built by the Cole family
For more than two decades Skatezone 2000 has provided entertainment for the youth of Wetumpka and beyond.
Now another family is continuing the tradition of clean family fun — Gardner and Tina Perdue.
PHOTOS: Skatezone 2000
The Perdues were friends of Charles and Sherry Cole, the founders of Skatezone. Like the Cole children, the Perdue children have been frequent guests and now many work at the roller skating rink. Tina even worked with Sherry in the daycare when it was open. Gardner said Charles was running the business after the death of Sherry, but was looking for a way to transition out of the business.
“When Charles lost Sherry he was forced to cut back on some of the things he did,” Gardner said. “He started talking to me about a year ago about the possibility of him wanting to sell it due to other things. He wanted to go to his grandchildren’s ballgames, go to church.”
Tina said he was ready to spend time with his family and more.
“He said he hadn’t been to church in 22 years because he was always at Skatezone,” Tina said.
The conversation between Charles and the Perdues continued.
“Tina and I just talked about it and prayed about it and thought it might work out for us to keep it in the community,” Gardner said. “That was one of the big things; we wanted to keep it here.”
Gardner’s four children had attended Skatezone’s daycare and Tina recently found the paperwork for them. All seven of the children had skated and had birthday parties at Skatezone and so late September the Perdues officially took ownership of Skatezone.
“He asked me what I liked to do for fun and I answered work,” Tina said. “I didn’t realize what I was getting into. Our goal was to pick up where Charles and Sherry left off. They created such an iconic place for Wetumpka for family, friends and community, for fitness. We want to take the baton and run with it. Continue to make improvements.”
Charles said much of the reason Skatezone is successful is because of his wife Sherry who died in 2017.
“Sherry was responsible for all the ideas,” Charles said. “I was just the helper.”
The Coles’ daughter Kim Moses said Skatezone was a family affair after the family sold a gas station in Titus to open the skating rink.
“I don’t think they knew back then what an impact that place would have on the kids of Wetumpka,” Kim said. “They built that place from the ground up and graciously allowed me and my friends to be there for the entire journey of opening the rink. We painted, we played, we worked and we probably got in the way more than anything, but they didn’t care because we were making memories and staying out of trouble. None of us really knew what we were doing, but somehow we figured it out. That place brought me friendships that I am still thankful for today.”
Sherry would open the daycare a few years later. It’s something the Perdues are researching restarting first with an after school program and summer camp for area students.
Skatezone is special to Kim for more than just working with her parents.
“I remember the night my mom met Aaron when he came in with me for the first time and she was smitten with him,” Kim said. “Then what felt like an eternity later, he proposed to me — at the skating rink.”
Kim said her parents spent every single weekend at Skatezone.
“Loving on and investing in the kids of Wetumpka,” Kim said. “You’d be hard pressed to find a child that didn’t celebrate at least one birthday there and I cannot imagine how many kids my mom witnessed to in that place on a packed Friday night. Now all of a sudden we are grown, and my kids have had so many special memories in that place.”
The Perdues want to carry on and improve the legacy the Coles built.
“What a great thing for the community,” Gardner said. “There is so little for kids to do on a regular basis that is fun. It gives a place to come skate, play games, birthday parties. It is a safe place. We are family oriented.”
Tina now manages Skatezone while Gardner works a full time job, helps with local Scouting and helps with Skatezone.
“I think of him like the Tazmanian devil,” Tina said. “Gardner just stays going. He never stops.”
Gardner shrugged off Tina’s remarks about his work ethic.
“I like good things,” Gardner said. “I can juggle about 15 balls at a time. I have a wonderful wife who supports me. She says she gets sucked into my vortex. I work full time but I have a job that supports community stuff. I’m able to do both.”
The Perdues are keeping Lazertag and have reopened Tanzone in the facility adding clothing items. Party rooms are being redone and more created. New games have been added and more are on the way. Redoing the concession area and bathrooms are in the plans too.
Bo Pittman’s mural representing area high schools is still there.
Gardner has high hopes a ‘Parent Trap’ will encourage more parents to get involved with their kids at Skatezone.
“We are just trying to add and change a little to make it better,” Gardner said.
The Perdues said it's a little bit difficult taking over after the Coles as they were able to do everything.
“Sometimes we get a little bit overwhelmed with the things we want to do,” Tina said. “Gardner and I want to get in right now and make it all happen now but I have to keep reminding him it's going to be a slow process. We have to take small steps to get there. To me it's an awesome responsibility to try to take what Charles and Sherry created and to continue to take it further. I feel the responsibility to keep it going.”
The Perdues have started dance skating on Sunday evenings catering to couples who want to dance skate to older music.
“We cater to all ages,” Gardner said. “We get those young just learning to skate. We had someone 78 out there skating on his birthday.”
Tina said it doesn’t matter how young the child is — come on.
“Toddlers just learning to walk, we put little clip skates on them,” Tina said.
Gardner said he hopes the Perdues can keep the Skatezone tradition going and not just for his family.
“It’s all about community,” Gardner said. “This is a great place for the local community, but its’ not only Wetumpka specifically. We have had parties from Prattville. They have come from Alex City, Eclectic, Montgomery. All the surrounding area comes. We are their skating rink.”
