ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, May 10, 1996 TAG: 9605100040
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ELLIOTT SMITH STAFF WRITER
For the man often called the godfather of the East Coast Hockey League, giving up the sport was one of the hardest decisions he ever had to make.
But when the roof fell in on his LancerLot ice rink in Vinton, Henry Brabham decided to call it quits. The roof collapsed in March 1993 under the weight of a massive snowstorm during a game between the Roanoke Valley Rampage and the Richmond Renegades.
"The ice hockey's gone," Brabham said at the time. "This was a crowning blow. It won't be rebuilt."
But three years later, LancerLot is rising from the ruins, this time with a new game - fitness.
Brabham is rebuilding the area from the ground up as an extension of his LancerLot Sports Complex, a health center he opened in 1984. The addition, when completed in mid-June, will cost more than $1 million. The former ice rink will now hold more than 32,000 square feet of new athletic equipment, including three courts for either basketball, volleyball or tennis, an aerobics room, a new track and a connection between the two buildings.
Before the collapse, the fitness center had been cited for building code violations, but the ice rink had not. Roanoke County building inspectors were not available Thursday to comment on the current status of the buildings.
Brabham said he decided to finally move off the ice and into the gym. (awkward transition)
"I wanted to concentrate more on the health club and move away from hockey," Brabham said. He indicated that the ice rink was no longer economical, despite the increase in hockey's popularity in the area.
Brabham said the LancerLot expansion will increase his membership from 1,400 to 1,700 people, where he hopes to put a cap on membership. The new complex will alleviate some of the space problems in the current building.
"We've outgrown it here," he said. "We need more space, and we want people to enjoy themselves. Some places don't have enough room for members to work out. We want this to be a family fitness center."
When Brabham had a change of heart after the 1993 collapse and decided to repair the arena, the bank had other plans.
"I wanted to fix it right away, but I didn't have the money," he said. "The bank was very leery about a loan because they thought I was going to put ice hockey back in it."
Brabham is credited with single-handedly keeping hockey in the Roanoke Valley through the 1980s, and owned several teams in the now highly successful ECHL, which he founded in 1988.
"I do miss the everyday involvement with hockey," he said. "But I still go to all the games. I'm proud of the ECHL and the Express. They've done an outstanding job and a better promoting job than I ever did.
"But I'm 67. I'm ready to quit."
Now Brabham concentrates his efforts on the Vinton Bowling Center, which he also owns, and the health complex, which includes the office of his oil company, a nursery and afterschool program, and two banquet rooms.
"I feel like I'm doing something here," he said, pointing to a group of senior citizens participating in a swimming class. "When this started there were only two or three ladies out there, and now there are about 20. I'm trying to do a service."
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ARNE KUHLMANN/Staff. Henry Brabham, owner of theby CNBLancerlot Sports Complex in Vinton, is rebuilding the former home of
the Roanoke Rebels to expand his
health and fitness club. color.