By Anna Guido
Enquirer contributor

WEST CHESTER TWP. - A deal has been signed to relocate Sharonville's Golden Skates to this growing Butler County community.

Construction of the rink - which will be renamed - is to begin in March with completion slated for September, rink general manager Ken Roesel said.

"We're excited and think that we'll bring a positive entertainment and recreational facility to West Chester," he said.

The 57,000-square-foot, multi-million-dollar facility will include two rinks to accommodate both skating and roller hockey. It will be built on a 5.59-acre lot at Ohio 747 on Union Centre Boulevard.

"We're selling them the land and we're building the building," said Mark Schumacher of Schumacher Dugan Construction Inc. Sale price was not disclosed.

Golden Skates, at 1640 E. Kemper Road, will remain open through June and be host to "quite a few end-of-rink bashes," Roesel said.

Sharonville city officials purchased the property to build a new fire station. Golden Skates was built in 1973 in what is now a bustling commercial zone near Tri-County Mall.

The rink is home to skating, roller hockey and dancing events.

E-mail annag1129@cs.com