EUCLID, Ohio — Euclid homeowners living near a city roller rink report teen violence and fighting have unfortunately become a weekly occurrence and they want it stopped before someone is seriously hurt or killed.
Residents in the neighborhood showed News 5 multiple videos taken with their cell phones at Mig's Play-Mor Roller Rink, located on Shore Center Drive, the past four Saturday nights.
The videos show Euclid police trying to break-up fighting and large groups of teens causing a disruption at the roller rink.
Euclid homeowner Danny Rhamy, and other residents, report police have tried to do their best but believe the City of Euclid needs to do more to stop the repeated violence.
“During the last year and a half, it’s been totally outrageous," Rhamy said.
“They don’t have enough police to keep this crowd under control. For the last two weeks, they consider it a riot.”
“We also had to call Willowick, Wickliffe, South Euclid, Willoughby, Willoughby Hills and the Ohio state patrol.”
“They have 70 to 80 to 90 kids outside, they have terrorized the businesses in and around this area.”
“These children do not have skates on, they do not have masks on, they are not social distancing.”
Euclid Mayor Kirsten Holzheimer Gail responded to our story and said she will take more steps to ensure safety.
“My administration and I are extremely frustrated with the continued problems at Pla-Mor Roller Rink," Holzheimer Gail said.
"I have spoken with residents and business owners and I share their view – this business is a major nuisance, is causing harm, and needs to be shut down. Unfortunately, we don’t hold that authority locally, the path to shut a business down is through Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court."
Holzheimer Gail said a case was filed in November 2020 by her city Law Director, petitioning the Common Pleas Court to declare this business a nuisance and shut it down, and said a case management conference is scheduled.
The Mayor said Euclid has issued more than $10,000 in fines and has also had the property owner in prosecution for violations with fire code, building code, and zoning code.
"Given the serious incidents that have occurred each of the last three weekends, we will be asking the Common Pleas Court Judge to issue a Temporary Restraining Order immediately," Holzheimer Gail said.
"We need the court’s assistance to end the dangerous behavior before someone gets severely injured."
Mig's Play-Mor Roller Rink owner Miguel Sanders responded to our story and said he will make immediate safety and policy changes at his facility.
Sanders said he will only allow teens and children into his business if they continue to wear skates. He said he'll also require all parents and their children to sign-in, and said parents must stay at the roller rink with their children at all times.
Sanders said he believes the city has treated him unfairly, and that's why he's hoping to have a meeting with Euclid city leaders to create a safety plan in the coming weeks. He said parents need to take more responsibility for the conduct of their children and hold them accountable.
“I’m disappointed, I’m sad about it, and I want to make sure that it doesn’t happen," Sanders said.
“I don’t want troublemakers, I don’t want it for my business, I don’t want it for this community.”
“I want us to be a place where these kids can have some good positive programming in their lives.”
“I’m not 100% perfect, and neither are these kids, but they are kids, and the ones who act out they have to have consequences.”
