Work on skatepark underway, but donations still sought
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ST. IGNATIUS — Construction began Monday on the second phase of the Skate Ignatius Skatepark, and skaters should have less than a month to wait for the finished product, project organizer Kristie Nerby said.
“(Dreamland Skateparks is) confident that as long as we don’t have too much rain, they’re on a three-and-a-half to four-week schedule,” Nerby said.
Dreamland, the same company that designed and built the 10,000-square-foot first phase of the skatepark, is building another 7,000 square feet of skating surface with a combination of street and bowl-skating elements.
“They’re gonna have everything from super simple flat cement to super (advanced) elements,” Nerby explained.
Dreamland co-owner Mark Scott drove over from Lincoln City, Ore., a day early to meet with local skaters Sunday evening, Nerby added. With the kids’ input, Scott decided to add a couple of elements, including a “manny pad” — a street element for skaters to manual across. The manual trick involves the skater balancing on the back wheels of the skateboard, much like doing a wheelie on a bicycle.
“(The manny pad is) this big element, and it’s supposed to be super cool,” Nerby said.
The community is encouraged to check out the construction progress, and Nerby said the existing park will remain open for skating during construction of phase two.
And although the digging has already begun, Skate Ignatius is still $11,000 short of covering the park’s price tag. After years of planning and fundraising for the skatepark project, Nerby and her husband Bruce decided to cover the difference out-of-pocket so that Dreamland could begin construction during a lull in the company’s schedule, saving Skate Ignatius $5,000 in the long run. Nerby emphasized that even a $20 contribution is helpful, and she appreciates every bit of support from the community.
“Every little donation adds up to cover the big cost,” she said.
For more information or to donate to Skate Ignatius, visit www.skateignatius.com or contact Kristie Nerby at 745-4888.
