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Reminder Assistant Editor EAST LONGMEADOW After the success of the East Longmeadow Skate Park Organization (ELSPO) skate demonstration last August, it seemed nothing could stop this ambitious group from moving forward with their plans to build a new skate park for the youth of the town. However, things came to an abrupt halt when the group discovered their original location the old basketball courts at the high school could not be used. A suggestion was made that ELSPO use an area near the ball fields at the center of town. "We all agreed that visibility is a big issue," Deanne Daggett, an ELSPO organizer, told Reminder Publications in January. "We discussed several sites and the amount of space required to put in a skate park that will maintain the interest of the skaters ... The town center is ideal as a location." The area off of Maple Court recently received the approval of the Board of Selectmen so once more, the proposed skate park plans are rolling forward. In late February Daggett and fellow ELSPO organizer Roger Cameron released the tentative blueprints for the skate park, as designed by Breaking Ground Skate Parks, based in Cranston, R.I. Formed in 2002, Breaking Ground is a collective of New England's top skate park builders, who came together to make the most ground breaking skate parks in New England, according to the group's Web site (www.breakinggroundskateparks.com). The proposed concrete skate park measures approximately 70 feet wide by 30 feet long and features a bowl capsule, a kicker hip, a roller coaster hubba and a euro pipe. "Representatives from ELSPO met with Sam Batterson from Breaking Ground to go over initial design ideas which we refined to incorporate the elements that the local skaters would like to skate," Cameron explained. "Ideally, the design will incorporate a little bit of everything that people like to skate." He added that ELSPO chose Breaking Ground because all the top-rated and skated parks in New England were designed by the firm. ELSPO plans on raising the funds to build the site before donating it to the town so that the town will maintain the park. "[Skateboarding] is a great sport," Selectman Jim Driscoll said. "It's a popular sport. The town has been very vocal about not allowing it [skateboarding] in many areas, but these kids need a place they are allowed to do it. We needed to offer them an alternative." He added that ELSPO represents a worthy cause, one that is worthy of support. The Board of Selectmen agreed unanimously to support the project, which would place the skate park near Leahy Field on top of what used to be an area set aside for bocce or shuffleboard, according to Driscoll. "It's going to be a cool, state of the art skate park," he said. He credited Robyn MacDonald, Planning, Zoning and Conservation Director for the town, for being "very instrumental" in moving the project forward. Daggett said ELSPO needs to raise at least $120,000 to create the park they have in mind. She said they have an intention to approach local corporations for sponsorships to help fund the project, while also hosting another skate jam sometime this spring. "A Day at Fenway (Golf)" is also in the works. Candy bars and T-shirts are still available through the group's Web site at www.elspo.org. "It's going to take a lot of work on our end but with the help and support of the local businesses the goal of [summer] 2009 for the park is one we feel that we can achieve," Cameron noted. "We need a place to skate!" |
