The old Skatetown building, in more recent times the First Door of Faith centre, was destroyed by fire.
A building that held fond memories for a generation of Levin people who grew up in the 1980s was destroyed by fire early this morning.
The Exeter St building was the former home of Skatetown, an iconic skating hall that was started in Levin in 1982 by local identity Mike MacGregor and his late wife Patricia.
A generation of townfolk would have fond memories of Skatetown as it was Levin's premier attraction for more than a decade.
MacGregor said he was saddened to hear the building had burned.
"It's fairly sad. There were a lot of good memories and good times in there. But any fire in Levin is sad," he said.
"There is a lot of history there."
Before the emergence of Skatetown the building was a car garage. In recent times the building was occupied by the First Door of Faith Church.
The building became the home of the First Door of Faith Church in the early 1990s. Rex Bowater was minister of the church at the time and said they kept the skating going on Saturdays for many years.
"We would run the skates on Saturdays and get a good crowd," he said.
Emergency services were alerted to the fire at 11.43pm last night. Four fire crews - two from Levin, one from Foxton and one from Waitarere Beach - battled the blaze.
Flames could be seen from blocks away and it woke many people living nearby. Photos and videos of the blaze had been circulated on social media.
The fire was deemed to be extinguished by 1.46am.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) spokesman Murray Dunbar said the fire was being treated as suspicious. FENZ investigators were expected on the scene later this morning.
Levin Police had put up a guard around the building.
The roof appeared to have collapsed internally. Windows and doorways adjacent the footpath were now gaping holes through which the charcoaled remains could be seen.
