From cinema to skating rink and back to cinema sums up the history of this site in the inner-city Brisbane suburb of Red Hill.
Skate Arena was a great, if slightly dodgy, place to hang out in the mid-1990s. It was run by a crusty old bloke who was a bit grudging about the kids and parents who went there to roller skate, roller blade or play inline hockey.
It was cheap and lots of fun, even if the skates-for-hire were a bit on the smelly side.
On Boxing Day 2002, the place burnt down.
For years the building was neglected and unloved by almost everyone except the graffiti and street artists who used it to hone and display their skills.
Then new owners renovated it into a cinema complex, bringing the building back full-circle to its original use as a local picture theatre (it was built in 1920).
They held an open day in March 2019 to showcase the building’s transformation and the amazing street art it contains. It re-opened as a cinema complex at the end of that year.
They’ve kept as much of the original building and graffiti as possible, which is a huge win for Brisbane’s street art history.