ROLLING WITH THE TIMES NO LONGER THE POPULAR HANGOUTS OF TEENS, SKATING RINKS ARE BECOMING MORE FAMILY FRIENDLY.

Byline: Candice Choi Staff Writer

As a disco ball and strobe lights rotate over the wooden rink at Moonlight Rollerway, a new fleet of skaters is coming around the bend.

Once a popular hangout for teenagers, the Glendale fixture hasn't changed much since it opened in 1950. Orange shag carpeting lines the walls, and faded signs indicate when skaters should go ``Backwards'' or clear the floor for ``Couples Only.''

``People walk in and go back in time,'' said Dominic Cangelosi, who's owned the rink since 1985. The place is such a throwback that it's often used in films and TV shows.

In fact, the only thing that's changed is the skaters.

No longer teenage hot spots, rinks are chasing after senior citizens, elementary school-age children and the family crowd to keep the music playing.

``The teen market is gone,'' said David Fleming, president of Skateland in Northridge. ``That's the million-dollar question: Where are all the teenagers? Everyone in the industry is trying to figure that out.''

Moonlight Rollerway and Skateland, two of the last remaining rinks in the Valley area, are taking different approaches. Moonlight Rollerway is sticking to its time-warped feel. At the snack counter, unglorified fare like pizza, nachos and ice slushies are served up. A glass case holds big fat pretzels that may have sat under the heat lamp for a few days.

Meanwhile, ``snack bar'' is a dirty phrase at Skateland, where Fleming prefers the term ``pizza kitchen.'' He is planning to shut down the rink for a few weeks this fall to renovate.

Over the years, Fleming has embraced 10-foot TV screens, digital stereo systems and all things modern to continue attracting crowds.

``I like to keep things current,'' said Fleming, who also owns Mountasia in Santa Clarita.

There are about 1,600 skating centers remaining across the United States today, nearly half the number there were in the early 1980s, according to the Roller Skating Association in Indianapolis.

Though not as popular a recreation as it once was, roller-skating still has its place with a certain segment of the population, said Wendy King, RSA spokeswoman.

In particular, rinks remain popular destinations for birthday parties and young families. Churches, day-care centers and camps frequently take group trips to the Moonlight Rollerway and Skateland as well.

Hitching their fortunes to a more family-friendly audience is turning out well in some regards.

``Let's face it; teenagers are a fickle group and their tastes change quickly,'' King said.

Previously, the influx of skaters came on Fridays and Saturdays when teenagers were free from school. Now business is spread more evenly through the week. Tuesdays are Senior Night at Moonlight Rollerway, while families have a claim on Thursdays.

Going after a broader family audience also means traffic doesn't fluctuate as wildly as it did in the late 1970s through the mid-1980s.

``If we're never in style, then we can't ever be out of style,'' Fleming jokes.

Still, teenagers come out to skate on Friday and Saturday nights at Moonlight Rollerway and Skateland - though the crowds are generally younger, between 13 and 15. Once they hit driving age, they become rare visitors.

The real challenge for skating rinks is competing with all the other entertainment available today, King said. Especially now that families are busier and kids loaded with more activities, skating rinks are competing for precious time.

``There was a time when it was a tradition to go to the skating rink every weekend. Now there's so many demands on kids' time that can't happen,'' King said.

Candice Choi, [phone]

candice.choi(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

6 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Emma Reiter, 4, makes her way around the rink at Moonlight Rollerway, which is sticking to its time-warped feel.

(2 -- 3 -- color) Roller skaters speed around the rink at the Moonlight Rollerway in Glendale. The rink has a Senior Night on Tuesdays, while families have a claim on Thursdays. At left, Daniel Thompson rents roller skates at the Moonlight Rollerway, where things are little changed since the 1950s.

(4 -- color) no caption (Roller skates)

(5 -- color) no caption (OPEN sign)

(6) Skaters make their way around the Moonlight Rollerway in Glendale. Skating rinks are catering more to families.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer