San Jose roller derby skaters collide with developers

A roller skating rink in San Jose, California is being threatened with demolition to make way for 150 studio apartments for the working poor built by the non-profit Charities Housing. Now, you would think that is a pretty good thing, at least at first glance. But not so fast. And, not if you happen to be skater.

At a recent public meeting that The Mercury News describes as "tense," some 100 roller derby players rolled out in force to do battle against the housing development. On their website, The Silicon Valley Roller Girls made their plea for the neighborhood to support the San Jose Skate, as the rink is called. "While we support the mission of Charities Housing, we feel there are other opportunities to develop that would not involve tearing down this cherished San Jose institution."