It has been a year since Stan Sevaldson first decided to help local skateboarders and in-line skaters find a place to enjoy their sport.

Thursday, May 17, 2001

It has been a year since Stan Sevaldson first decided to help local skateboarders and in-line skaters find a place to enjoy their sport. Now, the Albert Lea Skate Park Association is preparing to open their skate park, located at the Channel View tennis courts.

&uot;We’ve come a long way,&uot; Sevaldson said. &uot;We worked hard to organize ourselves and find the money to get this thing going. We did a lot of work with the city to find a location.&uot;

With two ramps and other equipment arriving next week, the club will have only two days to prepare the park before their opening celebration May 26 at 1 p.m. Sevaldson said the ceremony will be a way to show the community how important it is to give kids a place they can call their own.

&uot;This is a loose group of kids who are used to getting kicked off property and told to go somewhere else. That won’t happen at the skate park,&uot; he said. &uot;This park is theirs.&uot;

But before the first skateboard will race down the ramp, all members of the club have to attend a meeting May 22 to sign liability waivers and learn the ground rules of the new park. Sevaldson said each skateboarder and in-line skater must be accompanied by a parent at the meeting.

&uot;It’s a bit of business we have to take care of. The meeting is necessary; it’s the only way to get this park off the ground,&uot; he said.

With a membership of more than 90 kids ranging from elementary to high school, the association has developed an impressive following, said association president Tony Samudio.

&uot;It’s has certainly grown since I came on board,&uot; Samudio said. &uot;Even with all the confusion surrounding the site of the park, it hasn’t affected the enthusiasm of the kids.&uot;

Samudio said the temporary location at the Channel View tennis courts will be fine for two months, but he wants to concentrate on securing a permanent location for next season.

&uot;I think we can step back and regroup now. We need to decide exactly what we want and communicate it to the city,&uot; Samudio said.

With a permanent site, the association can invest more money in permanent ramps and skating equipment. Members are prepared to spend about $40,000 to equip a permanent park.

&uot;We have another year now to raise more money, and find some reliable funding sources. This will be a stronger club in another year,&uot; Samudio said.Skate park plans grand opening