Work on skate park progresses By RACHEL ADAMS, The Daily News, radams@bgdailynews.com Tuesday, December 5, 2006 11:46 AM CST
Construction of the Bowling Green skate park is moving ahead as workers from California Skateparks are scheduled to begin work on the park's bowl features today.
Nathan Curry, a local skater who's been involved with the skate park since its conception, said representatives from the California-based company will begin “shotcrete” work, weather permitting, this morning. Since the bowls have curves, regular concrete can't be used to form them. Instead, shotcrete, a special mixture of concrete, is blasted through a hose onto the feature. It is the same material used on some inground swimming pools.
Crews from Scott, Murphy & Daniel, the Bowling Green-based company tasked with building the park, have already poured concrete for the park's staircases and ledges, and the forms are set for the flat surfaces that will span from feature to feature. The park is designed in three tiers, and concrete for the flat area of the top tier should also be poured today, Curry said.
Monday afternoon, workers shoveled dirt from the bowls in preparation for laying down rebar, the steel skeleton inside the bowls to which the shotcrete will adhere. The shotcrete work should take about three weeks, Curry said.
“That doesn't mean the park itself will be finished, but the interior of the bowls will be,” he said. “By the end of the week, you'll actually be able to see about a quarter of the park. It's taking shape.”
Workers will likely take time off around the holiday season, but Curry anticipates the core of the park to be completed by late January. Some cities like to have the park's landscaping completed before opening, while others open the park first and then make the final touches - Curry didn't know which option Bowling Green's Parks and Recreation Department would choose.
Ernie Gouvas, director of parks and recreation, could not be reached for comment.
Curry has watched the construction of the $850,000 facility, designed by skate park designer Wally Hollyday, with fascination, updating local skaters every few weeks via the skate park forum on amplifier.ky.net. He and a group informally called Friends of the Skatepark have spearheaded fundraisers for park amenities, such as lights and benches. A recent skate competition held in a parking lot drew a crowd of more than 300, including skaters from Indiana and Tennessee, while a double-feature of skateboarding movies at Great Escape 12 had about 80 paying customers.
Together, the events have raised about $3,700 for the park. The parks and recreation department has also been seeking donations and advertisers, and had raised nearly $10,000 as of October.
Curry encourages residents to stop by the site, located in Roland Bland Park, to see its progress. The men from California Skateparks told him they are impressed with the design, which offers “lots of bang for the buck, square-footage-wise,” Curry said.
“When you're down there, you can finally see the shape of the park,” he said. “You can see and look and understand how the park is designed, how it's going to look when it's finished and how immaculate of a facility this is going to be. ... It's exciting to hear guys that (build skate parks) for a living say this is a good park.”
Skate Park Update By The Daily News Tuesday, October 24, 2006 12:23 PM CDT Photos by Miranda Pederson and Joe Imel/Daily News
An aerial view shows the work that has been done at the skate park. A skateboard/freestyle rollerblading/BMX competition Saturday in the parking lot of Blue Wallace skate shop on Scottsville Road netted about $2,600 for the park.
An aerial view shows the work that has been done at the skate park.
Skaters hit the pavement Fundraiser competition for park brings hundreds out to watch and ride By AMEERAH CETAWAYO, The Daily News Sunday, October 22, 2006 1:16 AM CDT
Photos by Lara Cooper/Daily News 10-year-old Dylan Paschal of Bowling Green jumps off a box during a fundraiser for the skate park Saturday outside Blue Wallace.
Beyond the busy traffic of Scottsville Road, skaters defied gravity with ramp tricks Saturday during a fundraiser for Bowling Green's skate park. The event drew hundreds of people and, according to organizers, sent a statement to those critical of the skate park.
Event organizer Nathan Curry estimated the skateboard/freestyle rollerblading/BMX competition in the parking lot near the Blue Wallace skate shop brought in about $3,000. The crowd peaked at about 350 around 1 p.m., and levelled out around 200, he said.
Curry, who describes himself as an “old-school” skateboarder, took personal satisfaction in building the ramps for yesterday's skateboard contest.
“Skateboarding saved my life,” Curry said. “It gave me something to focus and vent my frustrations on. It was my godsend.”
For six years, Curry managed Bowling Green's original wood-and-metal skate park at Basil Griffin Park. He left for graduate school at Aalborg University in northern Denmark to study sustainable energy engineering, and when he returned to Bowling Green, he got an unpleasant surprise.
“The guy we left to manage the skatepark embezzled all the money and let the insurance lapse,” Curry said. “As sad as I am about that ... the death of (the skatepark) sparked some people to approach the city for something more long-lasting.”
Curry said those making negative public comments about the skatepark don't have all the facts.
“A lot of the arguments that politicians are using are not well-researched,” Curry said.
“The general public looks at how dangerous this sport can be and think that danger equals lawsuits.They're not looking at national statistics, just a relatively isolated incident (in Louisville).”
Curry said politicians should consider the hundreds who attended Saturday's event a fraction of those who will use Bowling Green's skate park.
“A lot of politicians are saying there is an apparent lack of use,” Curry said.
Kentucky's skater movement is still at the grassroots level, Curry said. But the park will bring skaters from neighboring states and skater groups traveling along Interstate 65, he said.
The Skate Tennessee Web site at skatetn.com shows several discussion forums about Bowling Green's skate park, some drawing more than 2,000 posts.
“This kind of energy will be a lot more frequent once the park is open,” Curry said. “It's going to improve the community more than people realize.”
Owensboro resident Mike Kenney, an art teacher at Daviess County Middle School, said skateboarding became popular in the late '80s and early '90s.
Around 1992, when Kenney attended college, the popularity of the sport trailed off, he said. But the X Games aired on ESPN in 1995, bringing a wider audience and corporate sponsorships to the sport..
“Now there's a lot of money now that promotes and publicizes skateboarding, inline-skating, BMX and FMX,” Kenney said. “(Corporations) know that there are a generation of skaters like me that are 33, that are taxpaying adults. We're still here.”
It has taken skateboarding a long time to really take off here, he said, because skateboarding usually thrives in more urban areas.
Two Greenwood High School students that participated in the event hope to reach into the professional skater ranks next week.
Eighteen-year-old senior Steven Tat and 16-year-old junior Roger Langley will be in Dallas on Oct. 27 to compete in the Aggressive Skaters Association World Finals.
Tat won first place in rollerblading in the advanced category yesterday, and has been skating for about seven years. Tat said he likes meeting new people through skating.
“I really love skating,” he said. “It's just like any other sport. You just go out and do it.”
Langley said he knows he won't be skating forever, but right now it's an integral part of his life..
“I'll always be a part of the rollerblading industry,” Langley said.
Lowe's and Ikon Construction donated materials to create the course, while The Place, Howard's Cycling & Fitness, Greenwood Skate Center and Marty Eubanks World Champion Karate Academy donated items for auction. Concessions and T-shirts by Print Mafia were also available.
Film fundraiser
Another fundraiser for the skate park will take place on Nov. 11, when a skateboard film double feature will be held at Great Escape Theatre 12.
Two skateboard films will be shown - one “old school” and one “new school” - for $7 per ticket.
Doors will open at 9:30 a.m. and videos start at 10 a.m.
The event will show what Curry considers to be the greatest skateboard video classic of all time - 1987's “Search for Animal Chin,” which champions Powell Peralta skateboards and includes skaters such as Tony Hawk, Lance Mountain and Mike Vallely.
The 2004 movie “Elementality” will also be shown, which features riders such as Vallely, Bam Margera of MTV's “Viva La Bam” fame, Tosh Townend and others.
Competition results
Skateboarding division:
Beginner:
1st: Dylan Paschal of Bowling Green
2nd: Sam O'Keffe of Indiana
3rd: Tyler Massey of Bowling Green
Advanced:
1st: Jason Miller of Kentucky
2nd: Wesley Driver of Bowling Green
3rd: Bly Nantz of Owensboro
Rollerblading Division:
1st: Steven Tat of Bowling Green
2nd: Tony Woodland of Nashville
3rd: Brad Anthony of Bowling Green
4th: Daniel Powell of Owensboro
5th: Michael Cole of Bowling Green
BMX Division
1st: Jacob Rhoades of Bowling Green
2nd: Jonathan James of Bowling Green
3rd: Chris Saunders of Elizabethtown
Location for skate park fundraiser has changed By The Daily News Friday, October 20, 2006 11:45 AM CDT
Saturday's Skateboard/Inline/BMX Competition and Fundraiser for the Bowling Green Skate Park has been moved to the parking lot beside Blue Wallace at 2726 Scottsville Road.
All proceeds will help fund lights and other amenities not covered in the city's construction plans for the new facility.
Lowe's and Ikon Construction have donated materials to create the competition course and all ramps and boxes will be auctioned off during the event.
Raffle items include an iPod Nano from The Place, a bike from Howard's Cycling & Fitness, Aggressive Inline skates and a party from Greenwood Skate Center, a complete skateboard from Blue Wallace, 200 hours of karate lessons from Marty Eubanks and other products.
Concessions and T-shirts by Print Mafia will also be available for purchase.
To register to compete or to find more information, go to http:// amplifier.ky.net/skatepark or call Blue Wallace at 202-5102. A waiver, which is available online, must be signed by a parent or guardian if you are under 18. Helmets are required and will be available on site.
Skateboard/Inline/BMX Competition & Fundraiser Amplifier, October 2006
A Skateboard/Inline/BMX Competition & Fundraiser for the BG Skate Park will be held in the parking lot beside Blue Wallace at 2726 Scottsville Rd. in Bowling Green KY Saturday October 21, 9am-5:30pm. All proceeds will help fund lights and other amenities not covered in the current construction plans.
Lowes and Ikon Construction have donated materials to create the course and all constructed ramps and boxes will be auctioned off during the event. Raffle items include an Ipod Nano from The Place, a bike from Howard's Cycling & Fitness, Aggressive Inline skates & a party from Greenwood Skate Center, a complete deck from Blue Wallace, 200 hours of Karate lessons from Marty Eubanks and various other products.
Concessions & T shirts by Print Mafia will also be available.
You can register to compete or find more information at http://amplifier.ky.net/skatepark or by calling Blue Wallace at 202-5102. A waiver, which is available online must be signed by a parent or guardian if you are under 18. Helmets are required but will be available on site.
check out the skaters preparing for the competition building ramps designed by Mike Kenny & Nathan Curry at our photo gallery http://amplifier.ky.net/extras/gallery
Riders invited to show their stuff Extreme competition to raise funds for lights, other skate park needs By RACHEL ADAMS, The Daily News Sunday, October 15, 2006 12:30 AM CDT
Skateboarders, inline skaters and bikers are invited to show off their best skills Saturday at a competition and fundraiser to benefit the Bowling Green Skate Park.
Novice and advanced skaters and bikers are welcome to participate in the daylong competition, said skate park supporter Kim Mason, with the proceeds going toward lights, a vending area, and other amenities for the Roland Bland Park facility. Those items weren't included in the city's initial allotment of $850,000, Mason said, so members of the skate park's steering committee, unofficially called “Friends of the Skate Park,” decided to pitch in.
“Lights are the primary thing right now,” she said. “Lights are extremely important for the upkeep of the park and to be able to have it open all the time.”
The competition, scheduled for 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Bowling Green Parks and Recreation parking lot, is sponsored by Blue Wallace skate shop and will include raffles for an iPod Nano from The Place, a bike from Howard's Cycling & Fitness, a complete board from Blue Wallace, inline skates and a party pack from Greenwood Skate Center, and decks from Alien Workshop skateboard company, Mason said. Participants can preregister for $5 or register the day of the event for $10.
Three things are required for participation, Mason said: registration, a waiver signed by the participant or guardian if the participant is under 18, and a helmet. Helmets will be available for those who don't have one, but she won't budge on the waiver.
The course will be created with wooden ramps, rails and a half pipe, which will then be auctioned off at the end of the day, local skater Nathan Curry said.
Curry, who's managing the competitions, recently met with skate park designer Wally Hollyday for an update on construction. It's hard to set an opening date because weather is always a factor, Curry said, but the skate park should be open around mid-December.
Hollyday, a nationally renowned skater and skate park designer, will be returning to Bowling Green this week to make sure dirt at the skate park site is packed property, Curry said. Then coping - the metal pipe that edges each feature - will be set, followed by sections of flat concrete for stairs and plazas that separate different sections of the park.
For the curved bowls, California-based California Skateparks, one of a handful of companies that specializes in what's called “shotcrete” work, will literally blow concrete onto curved supports. Hollyday has worked with the company many times before, Curry said.
Curry, who's been skating for 21 years, has watched the evolution of the skate park with fascination. He's visited parks in 12 different countries but has never seen construction from the ground up.
“I've been dropping down there about every three days, just talking to people and seeing how things are going,” he said. “This is going to be a very popular spot, and it's going to pull a lot of people. There's no doubt about that.”
Despite a steady stream of criticism from some in the community, Curry is convinced the park will be a success. Although he's seen some that are design failures, he's never seen one that is a usage failure - even the shoddiest parks are still frequented by kids who just want to skate.
“It's just one of those situations where the people who are speaking out against it are ill-informed,” he said. “They have not done their research, and you really just have to wait and let them see for themselves.”
The fundraiser follows a push to secure funds for an intermediate-level bowl, something supporters were afraid would be removed from the plans when there wasn't enough city money for it. A month ago, $3,400 was needed to fund the bowl, but city Parks and Recreation Director Ernie Gouvas said Friday that's no longer an issue.
“If all the commitments come through, and I have no reason to think they won't, we've reached our initial goal to get the third bowl done,” he said. “This event will help bring in some funds for some features, such as fencing or a vending area, or toward the lights.”
So far, progress on the park has been good, Gouvas said, and overall, the community has supported the venture.
“I think when it's all over we'll have fundraised between $9,000 and $10,000,” he said. “That's very little corporate (donations); mostly individuals and a little bit of advertising.”
- To register online for the contest, go to http://www.amplifier.ky.net/skatepark or register in person at Blue Wallace or Howard's Cycling & Fitness. For more information on the competition, contact Kim Mason via e-mail to info@amplifier.ky.net or by phone at 282-4186; for information about the skate park or to make a contribution, contact Ernie Gouvas at ernie.gouvas@bgky.org or 393-3249.
Skatepark couldn't be a bigger waste of money Friday, September 29, 2006 12:00 PM CDT Letter to the editor - The Daily News
On Sept. 12, the front page headline, “Skaters look to fund third bowl,” was about a distressful situation in Bowling Green.
According to the article, on Sept. 11, approximately 12 persons had an emergency meeting to try to raise $3,367.70 to add a feature to the $850,000 skate park.
It detailed that letters were sent to approximately 40 businesses requesting contributions to this effort. The article included information that different organizations and individuals including the Kiwanis Club, Warren County Property Valuation Administrator Bill Carter, city Parks and Recreation Director Ernie Gouvas and others had already contributed to this desperate effort.
Even though I live in the county, I was deeply disturbed that approximately 300 people in our community may have to skate at an incomplete park.
On further reading, I find on Page 3A a very small article about the food pantry for the American Red Cross and how badly food and other staples are needed. I then looked to see how many solicitation letters, personal contributions from local clubs, businesses and individuals had gone toward this effort. Imagine my surprise, when I found that none were listed.
I have adult children and grandchildren, and have always tried to teach them what the priorities of their lives should be. They should be God, family and their fellow man. Nowhere does a skatepark fit in this scenario.
I believe we should all worry when our city officials put a skate park before the needs of our truly needy citizens.
Perhaps when the next disaster occurs, or a family has a fire, flood or other disaster, we can house, clothes and feed these individuals at the $850,000 skatepark.
Norma Evans
Bowling Green
Skatepark will be big asset to community - Letter to the editor The Daily News
OK. Enough already with the skatepark issue.
What is wrong with you people? The skatepark is happening, so accept it and move on. Just because it isn't important to you does not mean that it is not very important to someone else. When my son was in his teens, he lived and breathed roller blades and stunt bikes. He always wore his helmet and, I won't lie, occasionally he wore his pads. Everywhere that he and his friends went to skate and ride, usually streets and empty parking lots, someone was always there to run them off. Seems like the police made a point of watching their every move, always threatening to take them off to jail if they didn't leave. The boys were not trying to cause any trouble, harm anyone, or damage property. They just wanted to skate.
We made countless trips to Bowling Green on the weekends just to take them to Basil Griffin Park so they could skate and not be harassed.
These young people need a place to hone their skills, and if you would go and watch them for just a little while, you might be awed and amazed at the talent some of them possess. I don't have a dog in this race right now, but I say spend the money that needs to be spent on the skatepark and its upkeep. It will be well worth the expense, you'll see. Who knows, Bowling Green just might produce the next Tony Hawk, Shaun White, Dave Mirra or Jaren Grob!
Debbie Atwood
Scottsville
Let's vote for capable, caring candidates in election - Letter to the editor The Daily News
I concur with Ken Castleberry's comments in his letter to the editor regarding voting for a judge.
His points about last-minute opinion leaders criticizing elected officials applies very well to incumbent city commissioners.
I am disturbed by those people who have not been civicly engaged until now, and who are seizing upon selected controversial issues in order to negatively picture commissioners, including Brian Nash and his support of the skatepark.
Where were these naysayers when this issue was being discussed and considered? It received widespread publicity in this paper and elsewhere.
I am sure that Nash and the rest of the commissioners would have welcomed even more debate and discussion then regarding safety, costs and lighting.
If anyone is at fault for decisions regarding the skatepark or any other issue, the fault is with those who have plenty to say negatively now who had nothing to contribute when it was time to do so.
In broader consideration and in fairness to Nash and the other incumbent commissioners, I feel that they have served us well, in balance. Considering the corruption and confusion of the past, the commissioners have clarified procedures, attempted to balance private interests and public needs, and they have addressed a multitude of budgetary issues with consideration for many groups while retaining a focus on the capital needed for downtown development. The latter issue alone is one that is moving forward and represents welcome potential stimulus for much future good. The incumbents deserve our support and thanks for such activities.
Let us all, to the degree that we wish to be civicly engaged, be so engaged in an ongoing way and not in a selective way just before the elections. Finally, as Castleberry has suggested, we all need to vote for capable and caring officials, including Nash.
James W. Grimm
Bowling Green
Candidates are off base with skatepark - Letter to the editor The Daily News
Wednesday, September 20, 2006 11:47 AM CDT
Mr. Denning opposed the skate park yet understands the city's obligation to make the best of its facilities.
The other candidates have already decided to ruin it by denying standard facility support without waiting to judge on usage.
What other traits does Mr. Wilkerson use to judge a person's worth? His bigotry is a dark cloud over our police department, which does not share his opinion according to their representative attending a design meeting.
The Downtown Redevelopment Authority doesn't either, considering it part of revitalization efforts according to their representative on the steering committee.
Ms. Renaud falsely suggests high liability, when it is minimal, by citing a case so unique the court's opinion begs it not be used as she has.
In Louisville, the beginner section was immediately adjacent to the most challenging and dangerous feature.
After several injuries a barrier separating them was recommended by Louisville's designer, architect, law department and risk manager - yet nothing was done.
One judge states: “As the majority notes, under KRS 411.190, the Metro Government is immune from Woods' suit for damages unless it willfully or maliciously failed to guard or warn against a dangerous condition ... once the Metro Government becomes aware of a hidden risk at the park that is highly likely to result in serious injury, it must respond with something more than indifference... . I believe the Extreme Park is a valuable Louisville asset reflective of the Government's admirable concern to serve the entire metro community. It would be a pity if litigation made the park too expensive to maintain. The recreational use statute, of course, was intended to prevent that result, and this case should not be perceived as frustrating the statutory aim.”
Kim Mason
Bowling Green
Wilkerson's words are a slap in the face - Letter to the editor The Daily News
What exactly is “that type of kid” that Bowling Green City Commission candidate Bruce Wilkerson was talking about in regards to the skatepark?
The kid that skateboards, has a job, is active in National Honor Society, is attending college once high school ends, took action in raising more money for the park?
Have you taken time to talk to any of the skaters, bikers or skateboarders to see what “type of kid” they really are?
Trevor Morones
Bowling Green
Wilkerson: I'm not biased against skateboarders - Letter to the editor The Daily News
In response to the article on the skate park Sunday, “Skatepark ramps up race,” I would like to correct an error which misquoted and, therefore, misrepresented my comments. I oppose city funding of the skate park for the following reasons:
It is far too much tax money to spend on what seems to be few participants.
It exposes the city to significant liability for injuries in an extreme sport activity.
It detracts from the downtown redevelopment effort by paving over a large green space area in our city parks.
My objection to the article is specific to the misquote, “that type of kid.” I actually said, “that type of activity.” I was responding to a question about providing additional funding for lights at the skate park. I answered that I would be hard pressed to find additional funding to pay for anything else in the park, including lights, because it would affect the city's redevelopment efforts. I believe that lighting the park all night would create an atmosphere where noise and “that type of activity” would drive away potential homeowners and businesses.
The misquote made it appear that I have a bias against a particular group of people, in this case skateboarders. This is simply untrue. Bias against any group of people is wrong and offensive to my personal morals.
My objection to the skatepark is centered on financial, liability and safety issues, not people who may use the facility.
Bruce Wilkerson
Bowling Green
- Editor's note: Wilkerson is a candidate for the Bowling Green City Commission.
Skatepark will be great asset to city - letter to the editor The Daily News
I am responding to the article from Sunday's paper titled “Skatepark Ramps Up Race.”
My name is Nathan Curry and I was co-founder and president of the skatepark that was at Basil Griffin park.
I have many responses to make concerning this article but too little space with which to fully speak my mind. Thus, I will say that, first, I agree with the statements made by Commissioner Nash. Now, the issue I feel needs to be addressed the most concerns the ignorant comments by commission hopeful Bruce Wilkerson. What exactly is the phrase “that type of kid” supposed to insinuate?
I hope that Mr. Wilkerson didn't approach his police career with the same kind of prejudice that this statement shows. Skaters are comprised of all kinds and races of people form all economic backgrounds, political viewpoints, careers and lifestyles and run the gambit from 5-year-old children to middle-aged family men.
Bruce, you might want to do some research on the estimated 12 million-plus skateboarders in the United States before making such grossly over-simplified and out-dated generalizations. For example, there were five skaters that showed up to the groundbreaking - all over 30 and all career, family men.
And finally, it is ridiculous that, with all of the other much more vital and important issues facing Bowling Green and our society in general, these politicians are spending time on this relatively insignificant issue as political fodder around election time.
I guess it must be easier to take a stance and make an opinion on someone's athletic activity than it is to address harder pressing issues like public transportation and education reform. This skatepark is necessary, needed, relatively low-cost (compare capital costs to annual maintenance with other facilities), and will be a success - guaranteed.
Nathan Curry
Bowling Green
Skate park should be maintained By The Daily News Tuesday, September 19, 2006 11:13 AM CDT
Regardless of how one feels about the proposed skate park in Bowling Green, the city commission has approved it and construction is under way, which is why we take issue with several city commission candidates' who made comments about future support of the park.
For the record, this newspaper hasn't taken a position on the skate park.
Some argue that it would serve a segment of the community that lacks a local facility for their sport; others argue that the $850,000 cost could be used more efficiently on other things in the city.
Since the skate park will soon be a reality, however, it should be maintained and upgraded as needed like other city parks in our community.
We take issue with candidate Mark Bradford saying that he wouldn't put anything further into the park, even for lighting.
This statement isn't responsible. If Mr. Bradford is elected to the city commission, are we to assume that this investment of our tax dollars would be allowed to deteriorate? We recall that CrossWinds Golf Course (formerly Hartland) was controversial when it was proposed and during construction. Yet, no commissioner is advocating that no further money should be spent on it.
Former city commissioner and current candidate Joe Denning took the appropriate stance of opposition to the park by saying that once its done and a part of the city park system, it should be operated like any other park.
We also find it peculiar that several people have recently stated they weren't informed of the plans to build a skate park.
Articles on this subject have been published in this newspaper countless times and the topic has been reported by the broadcast media. Not one person came before the commission during budget hearings when the skate park was discussed to speak against it.
Where were these people during the period the skate park was being discussed and ultimately approved?
The bottom line is whether you like it or not, once the skate park becomes a reality, it must be maintained like any other city park.
Skate park ramps up race Commission hopefuls differ on wisdom of building park, and whether to spend more By JIM GAINES, The Daily News, jgaines@bgdailynews.com/783-3242 Sunday, September 17, 2006 12:33 AM CDT
Although a new city park to serve skateboarders, inline skaters and bicyclists is under construction in Roland Bland Park, the controversy surrounding its approval and operation has not died down.
Candidates for Bowling Green City Commission have a variety of views on whether the park should have been built at all, and how much public support it should receive when it's open for visitors.
Many citizens have complained they didn't know a skate park was being considered until after the fact - although Commissioner Brian “Slim” Nash campaigned on it in 2004; its design, location and funding were all publicly announced and approved by commissioners; and it was the subject of several dozen newspaper articles and frequent mention on TV news. A series of advertised public meetings was held to decide what features to include in the design.
Nash has been the skate park's most vocal and enthusiastic advocate.
“It surprises me that people can be so upset about getting kids out of parking lots, off of sidewalks and off of the street,” he said.
It's a widespread misconception there was no opportunity for skate park opponents to speak up in advance, Nash said. The park was openly discussed in budget hearings of unprecedented length and openness, and could have been taken out at any point before the final vote - yet not one person came before the commission to speak against it, though many people showed up to debate other budget items, he said.
On regular surveys done by the city Parks & Recreation Department, the most requested type of new facility was a skate park, Nash said.
The city has fielded complaints about the park's $850,000 cost, although that is one-tenth of one percent of the annual city budget - especially since the skate park's inclusion in the budget was followed by commission denial of half the Bowling Green International Festival's requested funding and of all $13,026 requested by two local orchestras.
The city ran a $9 million budget surplus this year, spending much of the money on major one-time construction projects, including the skate park.
Despite the park's construction cost, two concrete bowls were dropped from the plans as too expensive. Skate park backers are selling sponsorships and ads, and seeking donations, to raise about $3,000 to get one of those bowls back in the initial construction.
This year's plans also leave out nighttime lights, some landscaping and benches, restrooms and a proposed vending area. City Parks & Recreation Director Ernie Gouvas has said he intends to apply for a federal grant next year to cover half the estimated $80,000 cost of lights, but the remainder would probably have to come from the city.
Nash said he's concerned about vague statements that only a few people are likely to use the skate park. Skaters are hard to count, and demand is not guaranteed to remain the same, he said.
“What I can tell you is, we didn't have as many soccer players in Bowling Green before we built the (Lovers Lane) Soccer Complex as we did after we built it,” Nash said.
Whatever people thought about it beforehand, now that the park is being built it should be encouraged to succeed like any other city facility, Nash said.
Lights are a crucial part of that success, he said, however they have to be paid for.
Commissioner Delane Simpson said the project seemed justified since the city had the money. It serves a population that had no local facilities, while the city has already built parks for many other sports, such as golf and tennis, he said.
“We need to get behind it, and do everything possible to make it safe and secure,” Simpson said. But he immediately followed that by ruling out support for additional amenities.
“The city's not going to spend any more money on the skate park,” Simpson said. “I don't want to see that happen.”
The park needs lights for safety and to prevent vandalism, Commissioner Brian Strow said, but he didn't want to put any city money into that, or at least any more than could be avoided.
“As is true for any park improvement, a public/private partnership is best,” Strow said.
Former Commissioner Joe Denning, seeking a return to the commission, said he objects to the park's initial cost.
“I don't know that I would have agreed to have spent the amount of money that was spent on the skate park,” he said.
But once it's done, it's part of the city park system and should be operated like any other, Denning said.
“Since it is under construction and it belongs to the city of Bowling Green, I think every effort should be made for its utilization,” he said.
Donna Renaud, a Western Kentucky University instructor seeking a commission seat, said she would not have voted for the skate park if she'd been on the commission last year, at least with skating bowls more than 6 feet deep, which present much greater risks.
“I think it has a risk of being a high liability issue for the city,” she said.
When Louisville built its Louisville Extreme Park, it generated 180 emergency room trips in its first six months of operation, and that city just settled a major lawsuit, Renaud said. This year Louisville paid a $1.5 million settlement to the family of a boy hurt when he fell off his bike at the park in 2002, though the city admitted no legal responsibility for the injury.
She also objected to the speed with which the Bowling Green skate park was approved, saying alternate funding sources were not explored. The city should have sought big corporate sponsorships in advance, Renaud said.
Candidate Bruce Wilkerson, a retired Bowling Green police officer, said he opposes the park, calling it too much money for too few users.
“I would be hard pressed to find additional funds to pay for anything else,” even lights, he said.
Wilkerson dislikes creating a “concrete canyon” in Roland Bland Park - and it will hamper other city efforts to revitalize the nearby downtown, he said.
Residents and businesses won't move near the skate park and its regular visitors, wanting to avoid “that type of kid,” Wilkerson said.
Candidate Mark Bradford said he disapproves of the park's construction and would not put anything further into it, even for lighting.
“It's something I don't think the city can afford,” he said. “Other projects are more worthwhile.”
Candidate Edmond Schwab Jr. did not return a call seeking comment. A candidates' questionnaire sent to his official address was returned, and the Fraternal Order of Police was unable to contact him to participate in a candidates' forum this week.
It's time for city commission to go - letter to the editor The Daily News
It is now early September. If you are a voting citizen of Bowling Green, you have an opportunity to correct some of the things that are happening. I urge you to think a little about what our city commissioners have given us. They have authorized the expenditure of nearly $1 million for the construction of a skate park’ which will surely be used by some of our finest citizens. If perhaps 200 people use it, that makes it cost $5,000 for each person using it.
The commission decided that they would not support the local chamber orchestra with a $10,000 grant. Of course, at a cost of less than $50 per person that would be too much. They didn't seem to think we needed that much culture.
They also took up the issue of drinking beer in Fountain Square Park. They decided that even though they were encouraging people to come and bring their families, it would be OK to allow the consumption of beer, provided you bought it from one of those places on the square. They didn't attempt to change the law that prohibits parents from taking their children into bars. They are merely allowing the bars to come to the children. Does that make sense? So, if you like music and want to go to the park to hear it, you and your children must be prepared to see people consuming alcohol. It is my opinion that the park belongs to me and every other taxpaying citizen of Bowling Green.
I deeply resent the city commission and the Downtown Redevelopment Authority allowing the consumption of any alcoholic beverage on “our” property.
When you are at the polls, please remember what the commission has and has not done for you before casting your vote.
Tom Markham
Bowling Green
Commission plans to look at resurfacing streets, alleys By JIM GAINES, The Daily News Sunday, September 3, 2006 12:30 AM CDT
Skate grant
Seeking to put some dropped features back into the skate park now being built at Roland Bland Park, the city will consider submitting a grant application for $25,000 to the Tony Hawk Foundation. Bids on the park came in over the $779,000 allocated for construction, so two concrete bowls were left out. Skate park backers are seeking donations, sponsorships and grants to restore those, and add features such as lights and a concession area.
Saving the Bowl: 30 Days For Skate Park Fundraising Amplifier, August 2006
At the beginning of August the City Commission approved Scott/Murphy's bid to construct the City's new skate park. California Skate Park's is working with Scott/Murphy to create the bowls, swimming pool-like structures for skating down and jumping out of. Though the lowest submission for the project, the construction cost was significantly higher than anticipated and resulted in the elimination of two bowls to come in under $800,000.
Skate Park supporters feel that the larger of the bowls, the intermediate bowl, is a necessary part of the park design by world renowed Wally Hollyday (see August 6 issue of Time). Skaters and other supporters met August 12 with Commissioner Slim Nash and Parks Director Ernie Gouvas to discuss saving the bowl.
Gouvas reported that as a result of discussions between BG Parks & Recreation, The City and Scott Murphy cost had been minimized reducing the shortage from $34,000 to $9000. Gouvas emphasized that corners were not cut in the deletions but rather objects such fencing and sidewalks that could be added at a later date and possibly even for less money had been eliminated from the job. In addition, California Skate Parks reduced their price by $10,000. As a result, while the rest of the skate park will be built at $38 per square foot, the final bowl will cost only $10 a square foot-less than half the national average.
Commissioner Nash, who had already begun soliciting funds, announced the Kiwanis Club had donated $1000 towards the project. Beginning in mid August local businesses will be offered the opportunity to have their name on a sign at the site. Local skaters and supporters have 30 days to find the funding to save the bowl. Businesses, organizations or individuals who wish to donate must send a check along with the official form to the City of Bowling Green in order for the money to be earmarked for the skate park. Any funds raised over the cost of the bowl will go towards lighting and other needed fixtures such as fencing, a vending area, sidewalks, landscaping and maintanence.
It is anticipated that the skate park will quickly become a destination point for skaters of all ages from the area, the region and even from around the world. Between large skate parks in Nashville and Louisville, Bowling Green will be uniquely situated to be a destination point as described in SkatersForPublicSkateParks.com's publication Skate Park Tourism.
A follow up meeting will be held at BG Parks & Rec September 2 at 10:00 a.m.
For the latest information on the skatepark visit our forum Pictures of the design are posted on the forum. For more information contact Ernie Gouvas at 393-3606.
To make a donation download and print the form at amplifier.ky.net/bloggcommentimages/skatepark/skateparkdonationform.pdf
City seeks boost By JIM GAINES, The Daily News, jgaines@bgdailynews.com/783-3242 Wednesday, August 30, 2006 12:05 PM CDT
The city is seeking donations, sponsorships and advertising to pay for rounding out the amenities at the skate park under construction in Roland Bland Park.
All levels of contributions are being accepted, but for a commitment of several thousand dollars - exactly how much is open for negotiation - a local civic group, business or individual could see its name adorning the park for the next five years.
City Parks & Recreation Director Ernie Gouvas sent a letter this month to about 40 local businesses and civic groups, seeking contributions and outlining advertising rates.
“You are being contacted because you have a connection directly with skaters and youth groups,” he wrote. The letter went to area banks as well as groups with potential connections to skaters, he said. Gouvas' letter will be followed up with calls to recipients.
The first organization to step forward with a $1,000 contribution was the Kiwanis Club of Bowling Green, said City Commissioner Brian “Slim” Nash. Nash, who has been the park's primary advocate since before his 2002 election, is a Kiwanis Club member, and approached the board to seek its support.
“Their motto is ‘Children are priority one,' and this fit very well with what they believe in,” Nash said.
More commitments have been made for donations from others since then, he said, but he said he wasn't sure of the current total.
Sponsors and donors will be permanently listed at the main park entrance, while ads will be for yearly renewable contracts, Gouvas' letter said. Donors can stay anonymous if they wish.
Alcohol-related businesses won't be allowed to buy ads in the park, but can contribute, he said.
“All funds will go toward completing the skate park and future improvements,” the letter says.
Naming rights will be resold or renewed after five years, and that deal would be subject to city commissioners' approval, Gouvas said.
Ideally, that agreement will include services offered for park patrons, and - if a skating products company named the park - perhaps bringing competitions to the site, he said.
“It's not simply just financial,” Gouvas said. “It's anything we can do to promote the skate park.”
Sponsors and advertisers will reach a consistent crowd ranging from small children to people in their mid-30s, plus lots of parents and travelers from Louisville and Nashville, he said.
City commissioners included the $850,000 park, designed by Wally Hollyday with input from numerous public meetings, in this year's budget. But that price dropped two deep concrete bowls from the plan, and didn't include lights or other comfort features, though room was left to add them later. The park is slated to be finished by mid-December.
“From my latest calculation, we're only about $6,000 away from adding one of the two bowls back into the project,” Nash said.
All but that much of the bowl's $26,000 cost was covered by a combination of project cost-cutting and promised donations, he said.
The bowl being considered for immediate addition is an intermediate skill bowl; beginner and advanced bowls are still in current construction plans.
A complete set of lights for the 23,000-square-foot park would probably cost $60,000 to $80,000, if the work is done by city employees, Gouvas has previously said.
“It can't be a 24-hour park without the lights,” Nash said.
The city is seeking grants to help pay for them, but those applications will be viewed more favorably if they can show private money is also coming in, Gouvas said.
Eventually the city would like to install a vending area and similar comforts for park patrons and parents, Gouvas said.
The form attached to Gouvas' letter lists five levels of sponsorship, from “Friend” at $99 or less to “Platinum” at $1,000 or more. Advertising signs will range from a 5-by-14-inch sign for $250 to an 18-by-24-inch sign for $1,000. They will stay up for one year, with a 25 percent discount for annual renewal.
Donation pledges and advertisements should be submitted to the Parks & Recreation Department by Sept. 15. Requests for naming rights should be in by Sept. 20 to Deborah Jenkins at City Hall Annex.
- For more information on skate park donations, sponsorship or advertising, contact Gouvas at ernie.gouvas@bgky.org or 393-3249.
Skate park will be great addition to community - letter to the editor The Daily News
The skate park was not to blame for funding cuts.
Agency funding is a separate budget and despite some highly disturbing allocation decisions, the opportunity was open to more organizations than ever and more money was distributed.
The number the skate park will serve has been grossly underestimated. Skateboarders, inline skaters and bikers will all use the park and there are more than realized.
Our park will bring new tourism. Not only family day trips from surrounding counties, but also adult skaters from out of state bringing families for weekends/vacations. Seated between and complementary to Louisville and Nashville's skate parks, we are uniquely situated to appeal to travelers as described in “Skate Park Tourism” (available at: www.spsdev.org/content/process/sps_destination_skateparks_tourism.pdf.
Events and competitions will follow with their fans and publicity. The city's liability will be extremely low due to “Recreational Use Statue” Ky. Rev. Stat 411.190.
According to the court of appeals: “To be held liable for an injury the landowner must know of a hidden peril on the land; must know that it is highly likely users will encounter the peril and be seriously injured; and must respond so inadequately to this knowledge as to be deemed consciously indifferent to the user's safety.” This law makes potentially dangerous recreational activities available to Kentuckians with minimal risk to the landowner.
I commend the city for building the park and doing it right. That decision was based in part on feedback from parks and recreation surveys over several years.
The skate park will provide a safer place for healthy activities; serve anti-drug/delinquency programs; contribute to the economy; and enhance our image as a progressive city.
Kim Mason
Bowling Green
City commission has been a real letdown - letter to the editor The Daily News
Since 90 to 95 percent of the citizens of Bowling Green will not be using the skate park, perhaps Commissioner Brian Nash would explain why it makes it great to be a citizen of Bowling Green.
Maybe it's time to remind people how this city commission was elected. There was a substantial amount of people who wanted the old commission out of office. To accomplish this, they went to the polls on Election Day and voted for whoever was running against the incumbent.
This was demonstrated by the fact that not a single incumbent was re-elected. The current commission was elected on negative votes, not positive votes.
They weren't voted for because of who they were or on the position on issues by a lot of people, but simply because they were not the incumbent.
When you vote against something rather than for something sometimes you get something you don't want, like a $850,000 skate park for a bunch of teenagers.
Willie Bratton
Bowling Green
Citizens shouldn't complain about upcoming skate park - letter to the editor The Daily News
I am amazed at the lack of civic-mindedness within the Bowling Green community.
It seems that unless a project directly benefits someone, they refuse support it and consider it wasteful. It is also amazing that citizens who have not availed themselves of the multiple opportunities provided by the city to speak out on the skate park project now want to place blame on the city commissioners for their own personal lack of involvement. City commission agendas are published, meetings televised, and meetings at parks and recreation are announced in the Daily News.
A lack of civic engagement on one individual's part does not equate to wrongdoing by the mayor or city commission. Skateboarding is one of the largest sports in the nation, yet skateboarders don't have many venues available. They must travel to skate, meaning this park will promote tourism and bring skaters and their families in from around the state and beyond. People underestimate the usage of the park, considering that it will be open 365 days a years.
I am not a skateboarder. However, as a parent, I believe that we have a responsibility to provide recreational facilities for all Bowling Green's youth. I am appalled that any individual would speak against a project that encourages healthy activity in youth and gets them outside and away from television and violent video games.
Please put my name at the top of the list of people who think investing in our youth is a wise expenditure. I am proud to have served on the steering committee, which I volunteered for at a public meeting, and am proud that we have such outstanding city officials who are concerned about our entire community, including the wonderful group of skateboarders. This diversity helps to make our community stronger.
Tamela M. Smith
Bowling Green
BG skatepark work gets under way By RACHEL ADAMS, The Daily News, radams@bgdailynews.com/783-3256 Monday, August 7, 2006 12:23 PM CDT
Wearing black T-shirts that proclaimed, 08.07.06 in white letters across the back, local skaterboarders Jim Madison and Nathan Curry were ecstatic this morning as the first eight shovels of dirt were turned at Roland Bland Park, the site of Bowling Green's skate park.
“When it's built, everyone will see - it's going to be packed,” said Madison, who designed the “Wally World” T-shirts. “I'm from Bowling Green, I've lived here 36 years, and I think this is the best thing that's ever happened.”
Local dignitaries, including longtime park backer City Commissioner Brian “Slim” Nash, were also on hand to celebrate the groundbreaking. The 25,000-square-foot, $850,000 concrete park was designed by nationally-known designer Wally Hollyday, and is being constructed by Scott & Murphy Inc. Construction should be completed by late October or early November.
At most events of this type, Nash said, he announces that it's a good day to live in Bowling Green, Ky.
That proclamation got a little tweaking this morning: “Today is a good day to be a skater in Bowling Green, Kentucky,” he said, adding later, “I think it's also a great day to be a citizen in Bowling Green, because slowly but surely we're beginning to recognize the input young people can have in our community.”
Scott & Murphy is excited and proud to be a part of the skate park, said Chief Executive Officer Mike Murphy.
“We really wanted to do this project because it is something else in our community that affords children an opportunity,” he said. “That's a great thing.”
But it won't be just children who'll use the park, said Curry, 33, and Madison, 36. Both began skating in the mid-1980s, when concrete skate parks were on the decline everywhere except the West Coast.
“All we could do was look at photos, watch videos and imagine what it would be like to be a local (at those parks),” Curry said.
Around the turn of the millennium, parks started to increase in popularity again, said Curry, who helped start the now-defunct Basil Griffin skate park.
“It's a second coming, but it's a first coming for us,” he said. “Better late than never.”
As Bowling Green is located on Interstate 65 between Nashville and Louisville, the park can expect to see visitors who'll stop in on their way to either city, Curry said. Many of the older skaters have children, he added, so the park will also have a family atmosphere.
“Skateboarding's finally old enough that it's multi-generational,” he said.
Curry's been to more than 50 skate parks around the nation, he said, and has seen, time after time, newly constructed parks fill with users immediately after opening.
“I have never, ever, ever seen a park that's a failure as far as usage goes,” he said. “It's going to get a lot of use. It's going to be a definite bragging right for Bowling Green. I have absolutely no doubt about that.”
Workers begin to prep site Several trees at location moved to other park sites By RACHEL ADAMS, The Daily News, radams@bgdailynews.com/783-3256 Friday, July 14, 2006 11:39 AM CDT
The city made way this morning for the upcoming Bowling Green Skate Park, as workers from Frint's Nursery & Landscaping moved 16 trees to alternate locations in Roland Bland Park.
Employees Jacob Carter and John Cherry used a tree spade, which has four large blades that curve together at the bottom, to dig new holes and uproot the trees. The four blades are at each corner of a square frame that swings open at one end to let the tree inside the frame. Once the frame is locked back into place, the hydraulic-powered blades sink into the earth and meet under the tree to scoop the entire thing, dirt and all, from the ground.
The tree blade, which is on the back of a truck, is then maneuvered over the hole in the ground where the tree is to be transplanted, and, one by one, the blades come apart to leave the tree sitting in its new location.
By 8:45 this morning, one bald cypress tree had already been transplanted. Working nonstop, the pair could probably finish the job in half a day, Carter said.
In all, eight bald cypresses, five sugar maples, two silver maples and one sawtooth oak will be moved today, said parks arborist Jared Weaver, who snapped pictures as Carter and Cherry worked. The parks staff has already moved three smaller sugar maples by hand, he said, but the other trees were too large for them to handle.
One of the silver maples had been planted in the park in someone's memory, Weaver said, so parks staff contacted the owner to make sure it was OK to move the tree, then removed the memorial stone to make sure it didn't get damaged while the tree was being transplanted. The stone will be replaced when the tree is moved, he said.
The city found that moving the trees was cheaper than cutting down and re-planting trees of the same size, Weaver said, especially since the trees in the park range in age from five to 12 years.
“It's way cheaper,” he said. “A new tree that size would cost $700 to $800 to have it planted.”
It is costing $1,600 to move the 16 trees, Weaver said.
The trees are being moved to accommodate a 25,000-square foot concrete skate park designed by California-based designer Wally Hollyday. Bids for construction of the park are being accepted until Wednesday, said city Parks and Recreation Director Ernie Gouvas.
“We hope to be on the Aug. 1 commission agenda to recommend a builder,” he said.
Four local building companies attended a mandatory pre-bid meeting was held earlier this month, he said. Construction of the skate park should be completed by late October or early November.
The section of the park that will house the skate park, located behind a green chain-link fence near the intersection of Sixth Avenue and Louisville Road, will be excavated before construction begins to connect the park with the city's drainage system, Weaver said.
- To see the skate park's design, visit www.skatedesign.com and click on “Bowling Green.” For more information, call the Parks and Recreation Department at 393-3249.
Adairville planning $20,975 skatepark By RACHEL ADAMS, The Daily News Sunday, July 2, 2006 12:59 AM CDT
Plans for funding are still in the initial stages, but if all goes well, the Logan County town of Adairville could join Owensboro, Louisville and several other Kentucky cities in boasting its own skate park.
The idea was presented to the Adairville City Council a few weeks ago by resident Christie Fuston, said Mayor Jim Wilkerson, and it was soon decided the largely unused tennis courts on the north end of town would be a prime location for the park. The city has applied for a federal grant for about half of the park's total $20,975 price tag, he said, with the city and residents putting up the other half.
A council meeting on June 12 drew “a lobby full of people,” nearly all of whom spoke in favor of the skate park, Wilkerson said. Only one resident dissented, saying he used the tennis courts and didn't want them taken away.
“Other than that, every parent that came with their children, they were very positive,” Wilkerson said. “They know they need somewhere (to skate).”
Kids wanting to skate in Adairville, a town of less than 1,000 people, don't have many options, said Fuston, 26, who noticed her young cousin skating in his driveway because he had nowhere else to go. The town doesn't want skaters in the park or in the square, she said, and private businesses discourage skating on private property.
“That's understandable,” she said, “but if other places have a skate park for their kids, why can't we have one?”
The nearest skateparks to Adairville are in Elkton and Nashville, Fuston said, and parents can't be blamed for not wanting to drive their children there at the end of a long day. The solution, she thought, was to pull the community together and see if others wanted a skate park as well.
“There's basically nothing to do (for teens in Adairville),” she said. “We have ballparks and we have Little League, and that's about it. We have a playground for the younger ones, but for the teenagers or the pre-teens, there's not much to do unless we come up to Bowling Green.”
A fundraiser at the Strawberry Festival in May raised more than $1,100 for the park, Fuston said, and she's trying to organize a car wash to keep the momentum going. Word is starting to get around, and she hopes increased interest will result in increased revenue for Adairville's businesses once the park is built.
“Maybe kids from other areas like Russellville and Auburn, they might come up here, too,” she said. “It can be for everybody, not just for the kids in Adairville.”
The park will be free and open around the clock, Wilkerson said. The community park where it's located is a well-lighted area with lots of activity, especially during baseball games in the late afternoons, and has a pavilion nearby so parents can have a picnic while their children skate, he said.
It's a blessing to have local teens and young adults involved in the process, he said.
“It just makes sense that we start looking at ways to get our community involved,” he said. “When you get children to be part of the project, then they take ownership of it and vandalism almost goes away.”
The tennis courts are surfaced with blacktop, Wilkerson said, and the skatepark will have movable features made of steel. The council is checking on what will be needed as far as insurance goes, and will move forward as soon as they find out whether they were approved for the grant.
Councilman Bill Hendricks, who was out of town last week and unavailable for comment, has been a big help with the park, as have local parents and children, Fuston said. Even though she herself is not a skater, she's excited to see the impact a skate park will have on her community.
“I haven't myself run into anyone who opposes it,” she said. “Even people who don't have kids, or people who don't have kids who skate, they think it'd be a good idea.”
Meanwhile, the city of Bowling Green announced this week it will begin receiving sealed bid proposals for the construction of its skate park. Bids will be accepted until July 13, with construction of the park expected to be completed by late October.
Skate park design in final stages Planned park condensed after rock bed discovered By RACHEL ADAMS, The Daily News, radams@bgdailynews.com/783-3256 Sunday, April 2, 2006 12:02 AM CST
Trevor Frey/Daily News A sketch of a skate park planned for Roland Bland Park in Bowling Green is shown Saturday at a meeting at the Bowling Green Parks and Recreation office.
More than 40 teens, skate park supporters and city officials attended the third and final city skate park work session Saturday to make a few last-minute tweaks to designer Wally Hollyday's plans.
Tossing out skate park terms like “tranny,” “fun box” and “oververt,” Hollyday scribbled the skaters' suggestions on the final design in black Sharpie marker. Once the plans are set in stone - or concrete, as the case may be - Hollyday will turn them over to Tennessee-based architects Lose and Associates, who will then go through the city's permit process and bid out construction, said Chris Camp, the firm's executive vice president.
“We're looking for a late summer/fall opening,” he said. “We're trying to go as quick as we can and get you out there.”
It should take about six to eight weeks to get the permit, draw up the plans and bid out the construction, Camp said, which will leave about a four-month construction timeframe. The construction bid will be awarded only to a firm with experience building skate parks, he said, and Hollyday, a nationally known skate park designer, will come back during the building process to make sure everything is going well.
The plans have changed slightly since the last meeting, Hollyday told the group, since some preliminary soil boring in Roland Bland Park showed there was a bed of rock beneath the grass. The facility will still be at the park, which is a block over from the city's Parks and Recreation Department, but it has been condensed to fit in one corner.
The park will be partially flanked by sidewalks, Camp said, and is fairly close to parking lots. There's already some fencing in place, he said, and a row of existing cypress trees will be complemented by more landscaping inside the park, which will provide a place for parents to sit and watch their children skate.
Entry to the park will be near the flat plaza area, with three sets of stairs - low, medium and high - preparing riders for more advanced obstacles farther down, Hollyday said.
Concerns were raised briefly about the neighborhood in which the skate park will be located, but city Parks and Recreation Director Ernie Gouvas told attendees their actions could set a precedent for good behavior. The Third Street area is “in flux,” he said, and is set to be redeveloped soon.
“This will be one of the first positive things that has happened in this area in a long time, so think of (the park) as a building block,” he said. “If you see something, don't sit on your hands, don't turn your head.”
The park will be well-lit, he said, and there will be an emergency phone. City police will also patrol it regularly, he said.
If it's treated well by the skaters and doesn't become a hotbed for trouble, the park has the ability to change the public's perception of those few city blocks, said City Commissioner Brian “Slim” Nash. By placing the responsibility to promote good skate park etiquette on the skaters' shoulders, the skaters-as-hooligans stereotype may also shift, he said.
As much as attendees of the meeting at the Parks and Recreation office likened the Bowling Green skate park to those in Nashville and Louisville, by the time it's built there will be no comparison, Hollyday said.
“This is going to be a far better park than anything else around here,” he said.
Roger Langley, 16, of Bowling Green said the skate park will be a welcome addition to the city. He usually looks around town for railings and other features to skate on, but often gets chased away by business owners.
“I think it's pretty well put together - everything flows,” he said of Hollyday's design. “It's good to have a skate park to get away from the streets.”
Colleen Speer, 19, also of Bowling Green, said she's looking forward to the park's construction.
“I like it,” she said. “I like the fact that he's including a lot of stuff for beginners.”
Louisville's park is too far away and she and her friends don't always have enough money to travel to Nashville, she said, so she often ends up in Langley's shoes: being shooed away from city skating spots.
“Of course they don't want us on their property, but we don't have anywhere else to go,” she said.
- For more information about the skate park, contact Parks and Recreation at 393-3249.
Cities weigh in on skate park By RACHEL ADAMS, The Daily News, radams@bgdailynews.com/783-3256 Monday, March 6, 2006 10:30 AM CST
With two organizational meetings already held and a preliminary plan drawn up, the Bowling Green skate park is rapidly becoming a reality.
While local skaters are busy planning training sessions to teach novices how to skate before theyre standing at the top of a concrete ramp, city Commissioner Brian Slim Nash, whose championing for the cause led the commission to allocate $850,000 for the park, is fielding questions from constituents. The locals biggest fear? That the city is setting itself up to be sued, Nash said.
I dont think this puts us in any more trouble than a water park or a basketball court, he said. A lot (of the apprehension) plays back into stereotypes. When you really break it down, its no different than any other sport there is a level of risk.
A skate park, especially one designed by world-famous designer Wally Hollyday, is hardly any more dangerous than a playground, said Parks and Recreation Director Ernie Gouvas, and certainly no less dangerous than skating on the street. Plans for the Bowling Green skate park show areas for both beginning and advanced skaters, separated by a plaza to minimize the chance that someone might stumble into the wrong section.
The last thing we want is for somebody to get hurt, he said.
Although no final decision has been made on whether helmets and pads will be a requirement at the park, the city is working with attorneys to draw up signs recommending safety gear, Gouvas said. The ultimate goal is to make the park a family-friendly place and, to keep it that way, the city plans to install cameras to provide a live Web cast so parents and skaters can check whos at the park and whats going on.
While the Bowling Green Police Department is planning to be a presence in and near the park, Nash believes the skaters will police themselves, as well.
The skaters that Ive talked to ... they want this park so bad, he said. I believe theyre going to take care of this park.
The city is pledging to take care of it, too, Nash said, with help from Hollyday. Once the plans are finalized and construction begins, Hollyday will come to Bowling Green to supervise. After its built, hell submit a maintenance plan, and come back in a year to check on it, Nash said.
Having a well-constructed and thought-out skate park may actually minimize the citys liability, Nash said, by taking skaters out of high-traffic areas and giving them a place to go thats safe and challenging.
Bowling Green is certainly not the only Kentucky city to undertake such a project the state boasts many skate parks, ranging from simple wooden ramps to complex concrete masterpieces. Read on to find out how two other cities, Owensboro and Louisville, handled the construction and maintenance of their skate parks.
Louisville
The downtown Louisville Extreme Park, an outdoor concrete affair with one wooden vertical ramp, wasnt always the national draw it is now. In fact, the first Louisville skate park was rather unimpressive.
We had a very inadequate skate park that was not well designed, said Jason Cissell, spokesman for Louisville Metro Parks. It was done on the cheap, and didnt really offer the type of experience people wanted. They werent using it.
Since skating in public places was prohibited, and the current park was unsuitable, skaters began to push for a better area to do their thing, he said.
The main rallying cry that we heard was, Its OK that you tell us we cant skate downtown (and) we cant skate in the parks, but youve got to give us someplace where we can, Cissell said. Along the way, there were people who said it wasnt a good idea, but it was mainly because those people and nobody in their family were going to use the park. ... There will always be detractors because it doesnt appeal to them.
The park draws roughly 20 percent of its skaters and BMX bikers from far beyond the 13-county Louisville Metro area, Cissell said. Once Louisville residents saw that skateboarding wasnt a flash-in-the-pan fad and learned the skate park had an economic impact on the area, they became more open to it as a reasonable investment, he said.
A local ordinance requires helmets at the park and strongly recommends pads, wrist guards and other safety equipment, Cissell said. He declined to comment at length on a recent lawsuit involving the park, but said the settlement didnt involve an admission of liability by the city.
According to a Feb. 24 article in the Courier-Journal, the city paid $1.5 million to the family of a boy hurt when he fell off his bike at the park in 2002.
For the most part, skaters and bikers encourage each other to stay safe at the park, Cissell said.
Our experience is, you can take all the stereotypes of skateboarders and BMX bikers and pretty much throw them out the window, he said. Weve been pleasantly surprised that there is definitely an etiquette, that the older skateboarders ... definitely look after the younger ones.
The etiquette extends beyond fellow skaters, Cissell said.
Weve seen a skateboarder in their 20s go in and pluck a 6-year-old kid out of the park, find their mom, and say, What are you doing? While that might sound a little harsh, thats someone who doesnt want to see a kid get hurt, he said.
The free park is open 24 hours a day, Cissell said, which actually helps prevent vandalism. Even at 3 a.m., theres usually someone hanging out, and just the fact that theres almost always someone there keeps the park fairly safe, he said. The park has a phone with a direct line to the 911 dispatch center, he said, but since many skaters carry cell phones, its rarely used.
Its been interesting to see how differences have sorted themselves out over the years, Cissell said. When the park first opened, injuries abounded because no one was used to sharing their space. Now, everyone respects everyone else, and there are even unofficial family days on which the older skaters stay away so parents can take their young children safely to the park.
If we had to do it over, we would have prepared people better for the fact that there will be collisions and broken bones over the first few months, Cissell said. It shouldnt be taken lightly, but I would recommend (Bowling Green) to expect a little of that until they learn how to use the park.
Owensboro
Owensboros Ozone skate park wasnt always the popular spot it is now.
When Michael Kenney, the skate parks manager, moved from Bowling Green to Owensboro in 2004, he knew there was a park somewhere in the city, but couldnt find it. Built in 1999, it was a pay-to-play park until 2005 problematic because skaters were snubbing the park in favor of free parks nearby, Kenney said in an e-mail. Attendance was practically zero.
To encourage more activity, the park, located at the Owensboro Family YMCA, quit charging admission last year, and the wooden ramps were rearranged to create a more rider-friendly atmosphere, Kenney said. Since then, attendance has been steady.
When we opened it up free, we got just a great response from the community as far as coming in and using the park, said Rob Cecil, program director at the Owensboro YMCA.
The park is open varying hours depending upon the season and temperature, but only in the afternoon, Cecil said. Because of insurance regulations, the citys unable to open the park 24 hours a day, he said, and a staff member is always on site to watch the park and call for help if need be.
So far, the citys avoided any legal issues as a result of park injuries, Cecil said. Skaters are required to wear pads and helmets while in the park.
From all the records that I have, theres only one kid that has broken his arm, and there are minor injuries scrapes, bruises, cuts, that type of thing but not any serious, serious injury, he said. Most people who ride or skate ... they know their limitations and they know what to attempt and what not to attempt. Most of them dont try anything unless they know they can do it.
Novices are typically the showboaters of the skate park, he said, but an etiquette and camaraderie exists among the skaters there, too. The skaters care about the park, especially now that its free they absolutely love having it, Cecil said, and take care of it.
In our park, weve had basically no vandalism, Cecil said. (Skaters) get a bad rap because of a few people that are that way, but the majority of them are not.
The trick is to keep a park challenging for advanced skaters, but not so challenging that beginners will be discouraged, Cecil said.
I think its taken us a while to get there, but were slowly but surely getting there, he said.
Kenney, who designed Bowling Greens first skate park in Basil Griffin Park nearly eight years ago, has lofty goals for Owensboro, including a push for a concrete park like the one planned for Bowling Green. Theres potential in the skaters in this state, he said they just need a place to nurture their talent.
What has been hard for many city administrations and business owners to come to understand is, if any city can have facilities for other sports that go unused, then there needs to be at least one free facility for skateboarders, inline skaters and BMX riders, he wrote in the e-mail. At the end of the day, what those in control need to come to understand is, if you dont provide a skate park, then your city becomes the skate park
Skaters discuss design of park Residents see early plan; request shelter, longer rails By JIM GAINES, The Daily News, jgaines@bgdailynews.com/783-3242 Saturday, February 11, 2006 11:47 PM CST
Designer Wally Hollyday showed two sketches for a 25,000-square-foot skate park to about 30 people, most of them skaters, Saturday, seeking feedback for the project.
Lively debate over various features quickly marked up the sketches in red ink; Hollyday will incorporate those notes in a final design, due back in about a month.
Both designs show concrete plazas, steps and rails leading gradually downward to deep concrete bowls. Most of the plan is modeled after streetscapes, which skaters use to develop various moves, Hollyday said.
“If you were a little kid growing up right now, learning to skate, there's nothing you couldn't learn to do in this park,” he said.
Brad Anthony of Bowling Green suggested adding shelter or shade, not just for skaters, but for parents and spectators. He also told Hollyday that most of the features looked like they were designed strictly for skateboarders.
The park is intended to serve skateboarders, inline skaters and BMX bikers.
Hollyday insisted that the plan includes features for all three sports, but took notes on several requests - including from Anthony - for longer curved rails than most skateboarders use.
Generally, the crowd was approving of the effort so far, glad just to see plans under way.
“I'm really happy with the design,” said Zachary Madison of Bowling Green. “Wally knows what he's doing.”
Bowling Green city commissioners voted Dec. 19 to hire the California-based Hollyday to work out a basic design, and Lose & Associates of Nashville to draw up final plans, for $70,099.
The skate park is budgeted to cost $850,000 altogether. That amount was allocated in this year's city budget.
Chris Camp, executive vice president of Lose & Associates, said Hollyday's design should be finished in three or four weeks. Construction contracts should be bid out May 1, with work beginning in mid-July. The park should take four months after that to build, he said.
The city's Roland Bland Park, in the 600 block between Center and Kentucky streets, is an excellent site because of its slight downgrade, available parking and easy access, Camp said. It's also on a proposed link in the Greenways trail syste | 
