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State of the skate

Changes at Durango Skate Park improve visibility, interest

As skaters defy gravity in the bowls at the Durango Skate Park, during competitions every other week, crowds cheer and their fellow skaters pound their boards on the cement.

“They are all celebrating each other. ... There are hardly any sports out there like that,” said John Agnew, owner of The Boarding Haus.

Thrasher Thursdays, the new regular competitions at the Skate Park, draw about 20 to 30 skaters and a sizable crowd. So far this summer, skaters have come from Telluride and Denver, said Karen Rowan, founder of the competitions.

The crowds help to fulfill Rowan’s vision for a Skate Park atmosphere focused on athleticism.

“It’s brought skateboarding into a positive light,” she said.

She was inspired by her grandson, Pat Rowan, a young avid skater, who wanted to see change that would make the park more fun. Karen Rowan wanted to see a park that was more safe. She decided the two were not mutually exclusive.

Some of the change started last September when Karen Rowan and others went to the city Parks and Recreation Advisory Board asking for help. They asked for the parking lot to be a loading-and-unloading zone only and for security cameras. The cameras were installed in April.

Since then, skaters and parents have noticed a difference.

“There’s been less heroin and meth shooting around,” said Zach Collard, a 14-year-old skater.

His dad, John Collard, who taught all his kids to skateboard, confirmed he had seen illegal drugs in the park, but the problem is on the decline.

“We’ve always tried to push them out,” he said.

From his perspective, the most important change has been greater involvement from several police officers, who have been increasingly visible at the park and gotten to know some of the skaters. In the past, officers were not as accessible, he said.

While illegal substances are concerning, if you ask a group of skaters for their horror stories, the anecdotes are diverse.

T.J. Robinson, a 13-year-old, recalled a man with a machete walking through the park.

“This hobo was like: ‘I’m going to kill the police,’” he recalled.

Another man came through with a handgun, said Josiaph Jenkins, 19.

“He was pretty sketch,” he said.

John Collard said some problems stemmed from people passing through the park or others who loitered in the parking lot. He praised the decision to shut down the parking lot because, in many cases, the trouble-makers haven’t been skaters.

That’s one of the reasons Agnew wanted to sponsor Thrasher Thursdays.

“A lot of these kids get a bad reputation because ... of a few bad apples,” he said. “(The competition) helps put a spotlight on the good kids.”

To Pete Sakadinsky, a Skate Park advocate, the long-term changes are positive – highlighting both the park’s offerings and the best in the skaters themselves.

Decades ago, the park was a place to hide skaters, and the sport wasn’t respected, he said.

“It used to be one of those offshoots: ‘You don’t play football, You don’t ski. Go to the Skate Park,’” he recalled.

But now, he’s pleased to see the park reflecting the legitimacy the sport has gained in recent years. Kids younger than 13 and their parents are part of this new image.

“Parents are starting to back their kids and encourage them to skateboard,” he said.

The changes at the park have even garnered praise from people beyond the park, he said.

But Karen Rowan’s not finished yet. She would like to install a new drinking fountain for people and dogs in an effort to draw more adults and families. Drawing more adult supervision would help safety in the park, she said.

Construction for the fountain will cost about $7,000. Karen Rowan has been working to raise the money through her group, State of the Skate.

She is working on a petition and letter-writing campaign to help convince the city’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to support the drinking fountain.

mshinn@durangoherald.com

If you go

The Thrasher Thursday season isn’t quite finished. Two more competitions will be held at 6 p.m. Sept. 3 and Sept. 17 at the Durango Skate Park.

Aug 5, 2019
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Oct 15, 2018
Construction begins on upgrades at Durango’s skate park
Jun 26, 2016
Fountain, seating planned for Durango Skate Park


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