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Growing up in Haverhill, Jossery Diaz has many fond memories of roller skating with friends at the now defunct and demolished Skateland in Bradford and, when it closed, she decided she had to do something to bring it back.
That germ of an idea is closer to reality after Diaz won the $25,000 top prize in Team Haverhill’s first Fun Forward: Haverhill’s Family Entertainment Pitch Night contest in June. Diaz won with Haverhill Funplex, a roller-skating rink that would include a food court featuring local vendors and two party spaces.
“I’m excited about this project. I am a Haverhill native born and raised in Haverhill. I grew up going to places like Skateland, Chunky’s and Pilgrim Lanes which we don’t have anymore. And I am just excited to bring back something for families in Haverhill,” Diaz said.
The idea of asking Haverhill residents for family entertainment business ideas came from state Rep. Andy X. Vargas, who also mourns the loss of Skateland as well as Pilgrim Lanes and Chunky’s Cinema and Pub. The landmark Bradford skating rink opened in 1951, opposite the Bradford train station, and closed in 2021. The building was demolished in 2022 to make way for the new 290-unit The Beck apartment complex. Pilgrim Lanes on Primrose Street closed in 2016 and the property is now a medical office complex. Chunky’s closed its Haverhill location on Lowell Avenue in 2019.
“Like any issue in our office, we take a catalogue of what people are telling us. We had some good data showing, like alright, we’re hearing this enough from constituents that they want to see more activities for kids and families so let’s figure out how we can try to be a catalyst for that,” Vargas said.
Vargas was able to wangle $50,000 in state earmarks and then found a Lowell business mentoring group, Entrepreneurs for All, which runs business pitch contests across the country.
Kevin Burke, president of Team Haverhill, said his group happily signed on to run the contest locally, which was held Wednesday, June 25. A total of 15 ideas were presented and eight prospective business owners were invited to make presentations. Serving as judges were Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett, Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce President Katie Cook and Rafael Fonseca, an Entrepreneurs For All mentor.
Each pitcher had four minutes to make their case and then the judges asked questions during another four-minute period.
Elinton Rosario won second place and $12,500 with his “Hoops and Handles” basketball program and Michael Boucher won third place and $5,000 with his “Drop N Play” arcade idea. Both Rosario and Boucher are planning to use their winnings to open businesses, Burke said as the prize money is contingent on actually launching a business.
Diaz, 39, is no stranger to the challenges of running a small business as she already runs a construction company that does residential renovations. However, her next big challenge for her Haverhill Funplex is finding a location as she needs a commercial or industrial building with a minimum of 19,000 square-feet of space and adequate parking. She anticipates it is going to take a year to 18 months to find and renovate a space.