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Mar 28, 2008 1:05 am US/Eastern
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Baltimore Group Pushes For City Skate Park
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
Skateboarders want a park of their own in the city.
Dennis Edwards reports finding a location and the money to pay for it won't be easy.
Charm City Skate Park is an indoor haven for skateboarders. They come and do their thing every day. But it also helps avoid conflicts with authorities like the now infamous confrontation between a skateboarder and a Baltimore City Police officer at the Inner Harbor last summer.
The Skatepark of Baltimore believes the only way to keep this from happening again is to build a 64,000 square foot skatepark. The non-profit made its case before a City Council sub-committee.
"The 6,400 skateboarders need at least 64,000 square feet of terrain to recreate. Presently Baltimore City has one public concrete skate park," said Stephanie Murdock with Skatepark of Baltimore, Inc.
"So we want to hear all about it. If you're worried about obesity in kids, if you're worried about obesity in kids and you got 65,000 kids skateboarding, not many of them who are chubby," said Mary Pat Clarke with the Baltimore City Council.
But council leaders are reluctant to back the plan until project leaders come up with a list of possible locations.
So far, Skatepark of Baltimore has raised only $30,000 toward what will be a million dollar project. Teenagers at Charm City Skate Park, a private business, wouldn't mind a free option.
"I don't think it's a bad idea for other people who can't make it up here," said Kadian Maxwell.
"Sounds like pretty fun 'cause like down the Harbor, they're always bugging on you when you're skating and cops trying to kick you out of spots and all that stuff," said skateboarder Tyler Thomas.
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