The teens lobbied City Hall. They collected
petition signatures, and went door-to-door downtown gathering
support.
After a year's work, the Hendersonville Kids Alliance to Skate
is seeing their dream of a city skate plaza come true.
One hurdle remains. It could be the greatest challenge yet.
The teens are $100,000 away from bringing a skate plaza to
Patton Park off U.S. 25 North. They want to raise the money
before Labor Day on Sept. 3, so construction can begin in the
fall.
They are pushing forward.
"I just think it's really important because the number of
skaters keeps growing, and we keep having more and more
skaters in Hendersonville but nowhere for them to go and
practice their sport," said Alliance member Justin Hayes, 15.
The teens are not alone.
Mayor Greg Newman, Sheriff Rick Davis and Lee Henderson-Hill
of Downtown Hendersonville Inc. will appear in radio and
newspaper public service announcements supporting the skate
plaza.
"It's important to let everyone know that we're a community
that is very diverse," Newman said. "We have people here of
all ages, and they're an important segment of our town, and we
want to be open to things that they want to do, too."
Worth a thousand words
In the photo campaign, Newman appears on the front steps of
City Hall, a skateboard propped beneath his feet.
"Symbolically, (the support) lets the community know that we
are committed to the young people," Newman said.
The skate plaza should help local business, the mayor said.
"We want people to be able to enjoy themselves and we want
them to be able to do it in our town," Newman said. "Where
there are kids, there are adults somewhere close by with money
to spend in local businesses."
A place to call their own
Skate plazas look like traditional downtown plazas, complete
with planter boxes, trees and ornamental landscaping. But the
ramps, curbs, rails and stairs are made for skateboarding and
in-line skating. Gaps are closer together. Stairs are shorter
and steeper. Early estimates put the cost of the project
around $300,000. The teens plan to receive $100,000 from the
city, $100,000 through grants. They hope to raise the rest
through the "Get on Board" campaign.
Henderson-Hill points toward another benefit businesses could
see, besides money.
Ordinances outlaw skateboarding on city roads and sidewalks.
But the law doesn't deter some teens from skating up and down
Main Street, frustrating many merchants.
Early on, the Alliance went door to door downtown, collecting
signatures and support from merchants. Thirty-six merchants
signed on, including shop owners who have had trouble with
skateboarders on Main Street. The teens behind the Kids
Alliance to Skate say they do not condone misbehavior and
would not tolerate it at any facility they support.
Last year Henderson-Hill conducted a survey downtown, in which
65 of the 69 respondents said they would support the skate
plaza.
"We knew there were already folks in the downtown area who
were not pleased with them skating on the streets and being
part of the downtown area," Henderson-Hill said. "Just having
a place for the teens to go is a win-win situation for
everybody.
"We know teens in Henderson County need a place to call their
own, and these kids stepped up to the plate and are actually
working to make something happen," she said. "We admire that,
and know that it will be a great thing for everybody."
Sheriff Davis said the skate plaza would help eliminate the
safety concerns raised by downtown skateboarding, such as
skaters crossing paths with pedestrians and traffic.
"Clearly they need a place to go and to do their
skateboarding," Davis said. "The business owners would love
that, the kids would love that, it needs to be done."
Published Saturday, July 7, 2007
By Scott Parrott
Times-News Staff Writer
Town leaders unite with Kids Alliance to Skate
By Scott Parrott
Times-News Staff Writer
Henderson County Sheriff Rick Davis and
Hendersonville Mayor Greg Newman pose for photos as part of
an advertising plan to promote a skate plaza.
Special to the Times-News
Click here to enlarge.
Buy a copy of this picture.
Special to the Times-News
Click here to enlarge.
Buy a copy of this picture.
Related content
Want to help?
• The Kids
Alliance to Skate has a tax-deductible account set up
through the Community Foundation of Henderson County.
Donations can be mailed to the Community Foundation at P.O.
Box 1108, Hendersonville, N.C., 28793. Checks should be made
payable to Kids Alliance Skate Plaza Fund.
• Donors can also contribute at any Mountain First Bank
branch.
The Alliance's Web site at
www.skatehendersonville.com is set up to receive
donations.
 | City Council OKs skate park |
