Tell Us Your Warnoco Stories

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Consultation has concluded

The Boys and Girls Club of Weld County is redeveloping the well-known Greeley landmark, Warnoco, as a Teen Center, and it's soon to be completed! The Greeley Historic Preservation staff has heard many stories about the site from people who have skated, swam, played, performed, fought, and visited Warnoco, but we know there are many more stories and that have not been documented, and we hope to preserve those memories as the building starts a new chapter in the community. If you have memories you'd like to share about the site – good or bad – we want to hear from you!

Brief History

The site started out as an amusement park called Sall’s Gardens. In 1923 Clarence Sall sold it to the Barrett Brothers who first leased it to Warrack Norcross before selling it to him and his wife, Helen Warrack. The site included a swimming pool, a dance hall and rink building. A naming contest winner named it Warnoco using Norcross's name.

The existing building was constructed in 1948 and used as a roller rink until 1996 when roller skating ended at Warnoco. It was used for indoor hockey and indoor soccer, then used for storage for a few years until the Boys and Girls Club purchased it. In September 2023 the Greeley Historic Preservation Commission designated the building on the Greeley Historic Register.


The Boys and Girls Club of Weld County is redeveloping the well-known Greeley landmark, Warnoco, as a Teen Center, and it's soon to be completed! The Greeley Historic Preservation staff has heard many stories about the site from people who have skated, swam, played, performed, fought, and visited Warnoco, but we know there are many more stories and that have not been documented, and we hope to preserve those memories as the building starts a new chapter in the community. If you have memories you'd like to share about the site – good or bad – we want to hear from you!

Brief History

The site started out as an amusement park called Sall’s Gardens. In 1923 Clarence Sall sold it to the Barrett Brothers who first leased it to Warrack Norcross before selling it to him and his wife, Helen Warrack. The site included a swimming pool, a dance hall and rink building. A naming contest winner named it Warnoco using Norcross's name.

The existing building was constructed in 1948 and used as a roller rink until 1996 when roller skating ended at Warnoco. It was used for indoor hockey and indoor soccer, then used for storage for a few years until the Boys and Girls Club purchased it. In September 2023 the Greeley Historic Preservation Commission designated the building on the Greeley Historic Register.


Share Your Warnoco Stories

Please share your stories and memories (good or bad!) of Warnoco and add any information that would help give us a more complete understanding of the site.

CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.
  • Share Toughest Class I Took on Facebook Share Toughest Class I Took on Twitter Share Toughest Class I Took on Linkedin Email Toughest Class I Took link

    Toughest Class I Took

    by GBenjamin, over 1 year ago
    I grew up in Greeley and we lived on 4th street when I discovered Warnoco. I collected pop bottles to finance my roller skating adventures. Loved the organ music, the buzzer, the lighting, and the happy smell of the place. My 11th birthday party was at Warnoco and kids from Cameron Elementary came. I continued to skate without any instruction up through high school just for fun with friends. In 64, I bought set of wheels from Mr. Norcross to put on my new idea of building a skate board in GHS's woodshop class. Back then you built your board... Continue reading
    I grew up in Greeley and we lived on 4th street when I discovered Warnoco. I collected pop bottles to finance my roller skating adventures. Loved the organ music, the buzzer, the lighting, and the happy smell of the place. My 11th birthday party was at Warnoco and kids from Cameron Elementary came. I continued to skate without any instruction up through high school just for fun with friends. In 64, I bought set of wheels from Mr. Norcross to put on my new idea of building a skate board in GHS's woodshop class. Back then you built your board as they were not yet at Seargent's sporting goods on 8th Ave. In 1966, I enlisted during the Vietnam war era. When I returned to Greeley three years later I enrolled at CSC (now UNC). They listed the PE choices and there was "rollerskating". I thought it was going to be a breeze. Warnoco was the site and the challenge was improve on basic skills, to learn tricks and jumps, we rarely skated forward and this was the toughest class that semester. I am very glad that the building is still used for kids.
  • Share A huge part of my biography from age 13 to 20 on Facebook Share A huge part of my biography from age 13 to 20 on Twitter Share A huge part of my biography from age 13 to 20 on Linkedin Email A huge part of my biography from age 13 to 20 link

    A huge part of my biography from age 13 to 20

    by Gene, over 1 year ago
    I started delivering the Denver Post when I was 11 years old and in 6th grade at Cameron Elementary School. That was how I could afford to go with my friends to the skating rink.


    I had learned to skate using the old steel wheel clip on skates that you needed a skate key to tighten to the sole of your shoes (back when shoes had soles). The first time I went to Warnoco with my friends I found out how real skates were made with wooden wheels and were used almost exclusively on wooden floor rinks. And that experience... Continue reading

    I started delivering the Denver Post when I was 11 years old and in 6th grade at Cameron Elementary School. That was how I could afford to go with my friends to the skating rink.


    I had learned to skate using the old steel wheel clip on skates that you needed a skate key to tighten to the sole of your shoes (back when shoes had soles). The first time I went to Warnoco with my friends I found out how real skates were made with wooden wheels and were used almost exclusively on wooden floor rinks. And that experience absolutely blew away everything I knew about skating up to that point.


    It didn't take me long to realize that even with my generous income each month (about $20 to $35 on good months), I would not be able to afford this new hobby for long. That's when old man Norcross let me know that I could buy my own skates on a lay away plan and also purchase a season pass that would let me skate any time I wanted for a very reasonable price. I was hooked! My youngest sister also liked to skate so we ended up buying a season pass for both of us and made it a shared family time.


    When my sister got her drivers license, she could drive us to the rink. Our mother loved to use our skating nights as an opportunity to get out of the house and come watch all the skaters whenever she could. It didn't take long for us to become a part of the skating community in Greeley. Every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night we would almost certainly be found a the rink. Even on Sunday afternoons and evenings we could often be found there.


    I can still remember the rotation of events that Jay Norcross held on those week nights. There were barrel races at around 8pm on Wednesday nights: they would bring out about 6 or 8 small wooden kegs with a skate on the bottom and a wooden horse head attached to the front of each that the skater would squat down to ride on and use scissor like skating strokes to push the whole thing around the rink. I could never do these - my knees just could not take it! (I have looked for a picture of them but can't find one - if anyone has a photo I would love to see it!)


    On Friday nights they would set out orange cones to mark the 4 corners of an oval on the rink floor. Then Jay would sort the skaters into groups according to their abilities and ages to run single lap races around the rink floor. The winner of a race would get a ticket for a free soda at the refreshments counter.


    On Saturday nights, starting around 7:30 Jay would open the smaller "practice" rink and bring out the hockey equipment and let us all choose up sides and play roller hockey with plastic sticks and balls. I learned later that Jay actually made and sold these sticks and balls to other rinks all around the world. He even let me help him make some one year.


    Sundays were always set aside for Jay to introduce patrons to roller skate dancing - and he always had people eager to learn new dance moves. Every night was entertaining an enjoyable, for everyone in attendance!


  • Share Always a Happy Birthday on Facebook Share Always a Happy Birthday on Twitter Share Always a Happy Birthday on Linkedin Email Always a Happy Birthday link

    Always a Happy Birthday

    by Sue, over 1 year ago
    Warnoco was the place to celebrate a birthday! Great music, fun friends, lots of laughter and of course, birthday. cake!
    Warnoco was the place to celebrate a birthday! Great music, fun friends, lots of laughter and of course, birthday. cake!
  • Share True Love at the Rink on Facebook Share True Love at the Rink on Twitter Share True Love at the Rink on Linkedin Email True Love at the Rink link

    True Love at the Rink

    by Jessica2418, almost 2 years ago
    My grandparents used to tell so many stories about skating in Warnoco shows in the late 40s and early 50s. They met at 14 years old when my grandma fell on her booty at the rink. She said a handsome young man scooped her up and she stayed in his arms till the day that he passed away in 2021.
    My grandparents used to tell so many stories about skating in Warnoco shows in the late 40s and early 50s. They met at 14 years old when my grandma fell on her booty at the rink. She said a handsome young man scooped her up and she stayed in his arms till the day that he passed away in 2021.
  • Share Skating Scout on Facebook Share Skating Scout on Twitter Share Skating Scout on Linkedin Email Skating Scout link

    Skating Scout

    by docmojo66, almost 2 years ago
    I can particularly remember skating sessions at Warnoco when I was a Junior Girl Scout, attending Maplewood School. Several troop members were trying to earn a sports badge that required us to spend set amounts of time participating in several sports. Somehow we decided roller skating would be one of these! Being a serious student and a reader, I was not highly skilled at most physical activity, and this soon included roller skating! šŸ˜„ But I did manage to put it the hours required, and eventually was awarded the badge. Not without some bruises, though!
    I can particularly remember skating sessions at Warnoco when I was a Junior Girl Scout, attending Maplewood School. Several troop members were trying to earn a sports badge that required us to spend set amounts of time participating in several sports. Somehow we decided roller skating would be one of these! Being a serious student and a reader, I was not highly skilled at most physical activity, and this soon included roller skating! šŸ˜„ But I did manage to put it the hours required, and eventually was awarded the badge. Not without some bruises, though!
  • Share Picture me Rolling on Facebook Share Picture me Rolling on Twitter Share Picture me Rolling on Linkedin Email Picture me Rolling link

    Picture me Rolling

    by 970cruz, almost 2 years ago
    I have great happy memories at Warnoco! That I will never forget.

    My best friend and I would go skating and meet up with my older brother and his best friend. I felt so cool he was my older brother and his cool friend too. The nachos with jalapeƱos were delicious with ice cold Pepsi with a giant pickle on the side. Eating and drinking playing video games looking at the pretty girls. I was always too shy to ask them to skate, but my friend wasnā€™t he was so confident to ask them to skate holding hands. Donā€™t get... Continue reading

    I have great happy memories at Warnoco! That I will never forget.

    My best friend and I would go skating and meet up with my older brother and his best friend. I felt so cool he was my older brother and his cool friend too. The nachos with jalapeƱos were delicious with ice cold Pepsi with a giant pickle on the side. Eating and drinking playing video games looking at the pretty girls. I was always too shy to ask them to skate, but my friend wasnā€™t he was so confident to ask them to skate holding hands. Donā€™t get me wrong I was a good skater. I would fast around the skating ring, made feel good throughout my body. It was a very happy times in my life that I enjoyed with my buddies and school mates.
    Years later we played indoor soccer there too which didnā€™t last very long.
    Iā€™m glad the building will be in use again and will make a new generation of kids happy as I was going there. Good job šŸ‘šŸ»!



  • Share Those were the days.... on Facebook Share Those were the days.... on Twitter Share Those were the days.... on Linkedin Email Those were the days.... link

    Those were the days....

    by Jules58, almost 2 years ago
    I used to go rollerskating at Warnoco when I was growing up! EVERY single Friday and sometimes Saturday too! I met the first love of my life at Warnoco......he broke my heart! I have very happy memories of the rollerskating days there. It was so much fun! We used to just have tons of fun!
    I used to go rollerskating at Warnoco when I was growing up! EVERY single Friday and sometimes Saturday too! I met the first love of my life at Warnoco......he broke my heart! I have very happy memories of the rollerskating days there. It was so much fun! We used to just have tons of fun!