It was a little over a year ago when the sad news was announced that Happy Wheels on Warren Avenue in Portland would be closing their doors for good after the owners sold the building to developers. People in the greater Portland area had so many fond memories of lacing up their skates and circling the rink while the lights danced and the music boomed.

Derek Fitzgerald, who worked for Happy Wheels for 23 years would have none of this. He bought Happy Wheels and got approval from the city of Westbrook to build a new building there to keep the legacy of Happy Wheels going.

They officially broke ground on the new location on Sunday, but still have a lot of work ahead of them. They're shooting for a grand opening in the fall of 2021 and plan to bring back many of the things people remember from the old Happy Wheels location, along with some new surprises too.

 

When something is as much a part of your life as Happy Wheels is, you can't let it go. "I think there will be happy tears shed the day we open, and an outpouring of community support," Derek told Saco and Biddeford Savings in a story on their Facebook page.

Congratulations Derek for keeping Happy Wheels alive. We can't wait for that first skate!

 

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