A couple who has been running a popular skating rink in Franklin Township are shutting down Saturday.

Eugene Crostley and his wife, Karen, have been renting LaRose’s Skating Rink. The owner of the building, Brenda Artz, has ended the relationship with them.

The last public skate under this management will be Saturday.

Crostley said, “We have a great staff; we couldn’t ask for better employees. Karen and I will miss everyone, staff and patrons.

“It has been a great two years. We’ve met a lot of great people with public skating and private parties,” Crostley said on Facebook.

They will keep their Facebook page active for now, messages only, and encouraged people to like and share their Facebook page to get notifications.

“We are actively looking for property in the Franklin Township area to build another skating rink. If we can do this, we will change the name on the Facebook page and everyone who follows us will get the notification. We have no plans on giving up.”

Eugene Crostley urged customers to continue to support the skating rink.

“Come out now while you can. We will be doing a group photo the last night we are open that will be posted on Facebook.”

In the spring, Brenda Artz said that she and her husband, Roy, planned to come out of retirement to run the business again.

Brenda Artz explained that the COVID pandemic closed the skating rink for two years, during which time she reached the age of retirement.

Near the end of the second year of closure, she said her parents passed away 73 days apart, and less than a month later they reopened allowing two co-workers to rent.

“Retirement does not keep us busy enough and with the current renters stepping down (calling it quits the end of this season) is the perfect time to transition back to the rink,” Brenda Artz said. “We miss the people, and many still look for us.

“Eventually, we will sell to fifth generation to keep it in the family, but not anytime soon as my goal has always been to take the rink to its 100th anniversary in 2026. We will take some time to get things organized before reopening.”

Brenda Artz said at that time the skating rink would remain open until the end of June.