The article looks like it was transcribed directly from Skatewave's sales brochures. It promotes the product as something that can be re-positioned because the ramps aren't permanently anchored. The flipside to that is that they can be stolen, which is what happened in Georgetown, TX. Also, since the ramps can be moved around, their framing gets torqued and the structure becomes weak. Below this article is a photo of the remnants of the Georgetown Skatewave installation.
http://www.crookstontimes.com/articles/ ... 8news4.txt
Skate park proponents ramp up efforts
Since its inception in December 2004, the Crookston Skate Park Committee, a subcommittee of Crookston High School's chapter of The minor League, has managed to raise $11,482 toward the $50,000 needed for improvements to the proposed park. Students serving on the committee hope to significantly fortify that balance soon so they can start purchasing and installing equipment in time for fun this summer.
D'Anne Johnson, community facilitator for Polk County's TmL, said they've been applying for grants from a number of sources, planning a few fund-raisers and doing a lot of research to determine the most effective use of funds. Their research included a tour of several skate parks around the state to get a feel for different brands of equipment and floor plans.
"We now have a pretty good idea of the floor plan," she said.
Today's model is hardly recognizable from the initial plan, though, as circumstances moved them to look at other distributors and product manufacturers, equipment configurations and locations. After checking out parks in such locales as Fergus Falls, St. Cloud and the Twin Cities area, the teen contingent was very impressed with Skatewave(tm) equipment, said Johnson. Skatewave is a division of Landscape Structures, Inc., a 35-year-old Minnesota company.
"In the last year Skatewave updated its equipment," she explained. "It offers pieces with a composite material over stainless steel, which is unbelievably quiet. They're also very safe, durable and low-maintenance."
Another thing about Skatewave products that struck a chord with the group is the modular design that leaves endless possibilities for skate park designs. Although they won't likely be changing the set up every week as the equipment is heavy, Johnson said they have the option to move things around periodically if they want variety.
The modular building-block design will also allow volunteers or city workers to do the installation rather than contract with outside installers, which will result in considerable savings and give a sense of ownership to the teens who have put in all the time and effort on the project, Johnson added.
Even with the relatively short use time due to weather conditions in Minnesota and other Midwest states, indoor skate parks are extremely rare, she explained. The nearest one is in St. Cloud. They are usually more costly due to maintenance and the standards are quite different. An outdoor ramp has even been included in talks of a proposed community center.
Minnesota standards for a public skate park require that ramps be no higher than four feet at the platform due to insurance and liability issues. Of course, Johnson said, "the boys want everything at four feet, the highest they can go."
Central Park, where the current skate park is tucked in the northeast corner, is no longer the proposed location for the new skate park.
"The city granted permission to move it to Highland Park, near the sand volleyball court and parallel to the horseshoe field," Johnson explained. "This location gives us more options and has no close residential neighbors."
Work on pouring the new slab is set for this spring, which will cost approximately $7,500. While equipment can be purchased gradually on a piece by piece basis, there is a sense of urgency to raise more funds as quickly as possible. The $50,000 price tag might even go down after an upcoming meeting with the sales representative, Johnson noted, making that goal easier to attain.
"We'd really like to see something in the form of skate park in place this spring," she stressed. "And it would be absolutely thrilling if we raised enough to get it all in then."
Community support
The committee has put on two Rock 4 Sk8 events each year - one in the winter, one in the summer - as its chief local fund-raisers, with one coming up Saturday at the Armory from 7 p.m. to midnight. Johnson said other fund-raisers are in the works as well.
Grants present the possibility of bringing in the biggest chunk of change at one time, however. Crookston Parks & Recreation has been a huge help, she stressed, allocating $5,000 from its 2006 budget and possibly more from this year's budget. In addition, the city has said it would provide the manpower to install and help maintain the equipment if the committee provides the materials and some volunteers.
The committee recently applied for a $10,000 grant from Hamburger Helper through its "Hometown Helper Community Giving Program" program. This grant is rather unique, as it allows people in the community to give their two cents on the project by visiting the website www.myhometownhelper.com.
"It helps set the program apart and show community wide support," Johnson explained. "I'm hoping the more positive comments we have, the better our chances are."
If that's the case, the skate park has a good start. As of this morning, 30 positive comments have been posted on the project, the first one on Jan. 10. Johnson stressed that there's no such thing as too many, though.
The program is giving $15,000 each month to projects across the country through May. Eleven projects, from among thousands of applicants, have received a total of $45,000 since October.
There used to be more ramps and picnic tables here, but most of the Skatewave products were loaded into a truck and stolen.
