Picture Enfield - Then And Now

ENFIELD, CT — Today's look back into Enfield history finds us nearly three decades ago at 101 North Street in Hazardville, at the site of the former Enfield Dek Hockey Park, later known as Enfield Dek and Roller Hockey Park.

The park, owned and operated by Bob Baillargeon, opened in Oct. 1992 in a warehouse building owned by Stanley Greenhouses, and originally featured exclusively dek hockey, played on a hard plastic surface with either a puck or a ball, and with players wearing sneakers instead of skates. Among the original sponsors were such long-forgotten Enfield businesses as Hollywood Pools, Smokin' Joe's BBQ Restaurant and Pollyanna's Beauty Salon, complete with lovely yellow jerseys.

The YouTube video below shows a brief snippet of how the game was played.

Over the next few years, roller hockey, played on inline skates, was added to the mix, and at its peak, 73 teams were playing out of the Enfield location. In tough economic times, however, Baillargeon was forced to close the facility in Sept. 1997.

RC Madness, a radio-controlled vehicle racing center, bought the property in 2009, and currently operates race courses both inside and outside the building. Here is a look at the property today, plus a YouTube video of some exciting racing action.

Last week's trivia answer:
Last week's trivia question was, "Prior to the 1978 construction of the plaza which currently houses Angelina's, there was a white building, which served breakfast and lunch, located just east of the current Dalene Flooring store. What was that small eatery called?" The answer: Bill's Luncheonette, which operated on Hazard Ave. for many years adjacent to the original Scitico Market. Congratulations to Gigi Landry, who was the first person to provide the correct answer. Here is a photo of the building just prior to its demolition, courtesy of the Picture Enfield Facebook group.

This week's trivia question:
A hotel at 1 Bright Meadow Boulevard in Enfield, currently known as the Fairfield Inn & Suites, has been through numerous incarnations since its construction 45 years ago. It has been the Holiday Inn, the Radisson Hotel, the Crowne Plaza, and to most Enfield residents, it will forever be the Harley Hotel. However, what was its name upon its opening in 1975? Post the answer in the comments section below, or on the Enfield Patch Facebook page.

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