Older Skatepark Issues

Scotts Valley, CA - Tim Brauch Memorial Skatepark

An Open Letter to Scotts Valley, CA City Council (2/10/04) by Clarkie in response to a rediculous, erroneous, biased, and prejudiced petition from soccer coach, Michelle Lee, to reduce the approved size of the skatepark to make room for additional soccer fan parking.

After all the fiasco, the Tim Brauch Memorial Skatepark is on it's way, ground has been broken and here's hoping smooth sailing!

Stevensville, Montana
Hi. I'm the unofficial Chair of the local Stevensville (Montana) Skatepark Project. We've gone through City Hall, gotten the ok to build where we want and have raised almost $10,000 since last July, 2001. Need about another $4,000 to $5,000 to get the flat concrete poured (13,00 sq.feet) but will then need MAJOR funding help with buying either ramps pre-made or kits. Any ideas? We've already hit up all the local smaller funding sources and now really could use some help from the Big Boys! Western Montana is prime for skaters. Missoula has a YMCA park but it charges $, have to wear pads, etc.. South of Missoula is the pristine Bitterroot Valley with tons of skaters and no skateparks! Yuk! Any ideas/help would be greatly appreciated! We're also affiliated with a local non-profit for taking donations if that helps.

Judith Loring
2020 Burnt Fork Road
Stevensville, Montana 59870

Cork, Ireland
Dear Realskate:
The reason I am writing is to tell you about how much the scene in Cork (which is in the south of Ireland) is starting to blow up not just Cork but all over Ireland. Last week at a 14 year old fella called Sam landed a switch frontside flip on a vert quarter pipe at the annual one day skatepark, and there is another guy whose name is Nick here who can do 8 ft high benihanas off a 1 and a half foot high ramp. He can also do vortex flips down steps and 360 ollie norths UNFUCKINGREAL!!! good. That guy used to skate in the early ninties and just took it back up 4 months ago. For those who don't know Ireland has only 100 dry days a year the rest are wet. This wouldn't pose a problem only for the fact that there is no skatepark in Cork only one for one day of the year in a competition stylie thing. In fact there are only 2 parks in all of Ireland, both in Dublin (the capital) which is around 5000 miles away (thats a long drive). I was just wondering is there anybody out there who can pull a few strings in a big Company and maybe get us the funding to at least build a halfpipe somewhere? Thanks for the time Later

cork_skaters@hotmail.com

Arkansas
Whaddup! My name is Lochen Brown, I'm a 27 year old skater. I don't get to thrash like I did when I was 14, but I love the sport, and view it as a real positive deal. Here is what I'm getting at, I'm at the age where I can REALLY make a REAL difference, and I want to give back. I have the opportunity to head a committee to give this small (12,000+) Arkansas town a skatepark. The funding is there , and so is the need, and more importantly , the support of some of the community. My brothers and I have skated your park in Santa Cruz, see , our Granparents live there on West Cliff, so we occasionly get to visit. What I'd like to do is get a concrete park built, and I'm looking for resources like approxamite cost per size, (I want something a little more ambitious than the Santa Cruz Public Park). I'm interested in plans, your fight with City Council, and any good advice. For now I'm working on a temporary, wooden park, and I need a design for a REALLY BOMB-ASS funbox with a rail and dual approach, short enough height for beginner/intermediates. Any help would be appreciated.Keep it real and Alive.

Lochen, wow you don't even want to know about the Santa Cruz park battle, and it's still going on after seven years. I can only advise you to visit some of the links I have posted above, they are the main men and women in the know about park building. Good luck, and keep us posted. I live pretty close to Derby, next time you're around give me a shout! - Clarkie

Scott Stamnes Memorial Skatepark Fund
Port Angeles, Washington
A memorial skate park is currently under construction in Port Angeles, Washington in memory of Scott Stamnes, killed on 12/10/2000 in Marseilles, France. Scott was hit by a drunk driver while walking (in a crosswalk) across a street near the famous skatepark in Marseilles. This park in being funded by Mervin Mfg. LIB-TECK / GNU / BENT METAL) in memory of Scott. Completion date: September, 2001. Also, please go to Scott Samnes Give to Kids Fund , a fund set up for underpriviledged young skaters.

The Scott Stamnes fund is also helping to build a 15,000 sq. ft. skatepark in Orcas Island, Washington (San Juan Islands) spearheaded by Warren Miller. Estimated completion date: Fall of 2001. Donations may be sent to: Warren Miller, PO Box 350, Deer Harbor, Washington, 98243. The Scott's family thanks you.

Ryan Benson Memorial Skatepark Fund
Grant, Michigan
I am writing on behalf of my brother. Ryan was a young man who loved to skateboard, among his many interests. My brother liked to skate in the parking lots and on sidewalks of my hometown, Grant Michigan with his friends. There was not a problem with that for long time. But as in most, the city finally cracked down. In response my brother and his friends started writing letters. They got land and a grant to set up a stake park which is quite amazing for a small town of under 2000 people. But the grant money is not quite enough, so they started to raise money on their own. On March 14, 2001 my brother Ryan was killed in a car accident on his way to work after school. The Skate Park is now being dedicated to him as the Ryan Benson Memorial Skate Park. But it still needs funds so we are organizing a fund-raiser. The response to it has been great, there are 8 local bands and 10 performers are going to play at his fund-raiser. I'm writing this letter to see if this story might interest you, and any publicity this gets could only help to make it one of the best Skate Parks in Michigan. For further information please contact either Donald or Cheryl Benson, their phone number is (231) 834-5317. Sincerely, Brad Benson

Oregon Skaters - Fighting for Oregon's skateparks
Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2001
In Oregon the bikers are trying to get the State Senate to convert all skateboard parks into "extreme sports parks" thus allowing bikers into the parks. The state battle is handled pretty good by our team, but the bikers are taking their jihad to the cities. Its getting bad. They've also taken their fight nation wide by pushing their plans into the biking media (RideBMX Magazine). Help us fight this by putting a link from your site to ours:
KEXOS (Keep Extreme Sports out of our Skateboard Parks). Its a coalition formed to battle this bill in Oregon, and eventually arm other cities and states with facts that will help them fight these off.
Kent Dahlgren

Grove City, PA - I could go on and on and on and on and on . . . . . . To make a long story short and then if you want more details, please e-mail me - - - - - I read an article in the local newspaper regarding "Skateboarding Is A Crime" (bullshit) issues relating to local youth. Article ticked me off so I wrote a letter to the editor of the paper. Upon attending city council meetings and them providing us a place to skate, I purchased several ramps - with my personal money - from a skate park that had closed down. Asking the city council for monies to help accomplish my goal, I was told that there was NOT money in the city budget for the year 2000. In September 2000 the city decided to restrict the use of the"skate park" due to liability issues. The city claimed that the insurance carrier would not cover an organization such as this. I have jumped through hoops to try and make them happy, put alot of time, effort, and money into this project, but there's always something else. The "skate park" has been closed since mid-September and I have recently written letters and am planning to attend the next city council meeting regarding the budget for 2001. Please wish me luck and send me any info regarding my plea. I NEED HELP !!!!
Vicki
Grove City, PA

Christchurch, New Zealand - You remember Shannon, the little 9 year old girl skateboarder we featured? Here is a recent letter from her Dad about another negative and biased skatepark issue in their hometown.

Okinawa, Japan - This article was submitted by Sgt. Pauline Franklin who writes: Enclosed is a story and photos for your review and use. The story is about family and service members of the community here lobbying military leaders for a skatepark on base. They were successful in their efforts, and the new park was just opened.

Stevensville, Montana - I saw your article about the Helena, Montana park and just wanted to let you all know that there is great group in Stevensville, Montana and we ARE going to get our park built! City council gave the OK and we're just trying to raise about $30,000 to get it built. We are accepting donations under the Stevensville Community Foundation, a 503(c)(1), non profit, P.O. Box 413, Stevensville, Montana 59870. Earmark all donations for the skatepark. Thanks for your interest and help! I hope my Helena companions are sucessful too. Judith Loring

Scunthorp, England - Hi I'm Tim Newman from England I was reading your site and I would like to ask for help. I live in Scunthorpe and the Council said they will build a skate park but they haven't said anything or done anything. I would like some advice. Please reply to:
Tim Newman - Thanks.

Helena, Montana - The worst case of bias and discrimination against skateboarders I have witnessed yet! More letters have come in 10/20 check them out.

Indy - I live in Indianpolis, and we just got a free public park built. It was soooo easy for us. We were lucky. Some kids from Louisville, Kentucky have been making the trek up to Naptown to ride our park b/c they have been trying to get one for a long time. I think you can contact Jimmy Levan or someone else on the metal bikes team b/c he lives there and is a supporter of the park. Please contact them through their website at www.metalbikesbmx.com. Also, the naptown park website is www.indyskatepark.com.
Thanks,
Jonathan Nolte

Middletown Park, Delaware - These guys need help!

Vancouver Indoor Skateboard Park Coalition - Meetings on Wedesday nights, at the Douglas Park Community Centre, at 801 West 22 Avenue, from 7-9. Check out their page.