DFS Dedicates New Skatepark
If you like to skateboard, the City of DeFuniak Springs has a new place for you. Thursday afternoon a new skatepark was opened near Harbeson Field at the site of the former tennis courts. With other tennis courts available and the skatepark at the Sports Complex closed, the City Council decided the little used tennis courts would make a great skating area.
Five year old Marco Teck and six year old Lea Cruz were the first two to take advantage of the new DeFuniak Springs 10,000 square foot skate park. The new park is for skateboards, inline skates and BMX bikes. The city plans to keep adding features. Funds from Christmas Reflections provided for the start with $10,000 given to the project.
Mayor Harold Carpenter said they have been working on the project for a long time and gave credit to Ed Joyner and his staff for putting the park together. Ron Dickie is the city employee who fabricated the new equipment and unlike the previous attempt, these features use a professional grade surface. A park was built at the Sports Complex off Gene Hurley Road, but the lack of local access, vandalism and quality of equipment cased numerous problems.
No one knows for sure when the first skate board was put together, but by the 1960’s many were attaching a box or plank to roller skates to do some “sidewalk surfing” when they could not surf the waves. The popularity grew and the invention of a new wheel style in the 70’s grew the sport even more. While it waned for a period, the modern use of half pipes, half banks, hips, mini ramps, rails and other features have given even more challenges.
Sine the 1970’s, skateparks have also been constructed. These parks can be found in all styles and sizes, indoors and out, throughout the country. Many times the parks are built by and operated by cities and local governments as a way to provide a recreation area for skaters, bikers and skateboarders. For some, the parks are a way to keep the skateboarders off the streets. One current trend is to combine outdoor art and sculptures that can also be used by skaters.
Parks can be found in cities like Louisville Kentucky and Houston Texas. The facility in Houston was a $2.7 million public park and covers over 40,000 square feet. The skatepark is one of the largest in the Texas at 30,000 square. The skatepark is free to use for the public.
For those using the DeFuniak Springs Skate Park will need to sign a liability waiver and have their picture taken. If you are under 18, then you need to have your parents sign the waiver. You will also need a helmet to use the park. The park has 24-hour video surveillance with monitors at the Police Department. A state law was created to give cities the ability to operate skate parks with limited liability. Pictures are on our website, http://www.wzep1460 and click the “News” button.
If you like to skateboard, the City of DeFuniak Springs has a new place for you. Thursday afternoon a new skatepark was opened near Harbeson Field at the site of the former tennis courts. With other tennis courts available and the skatepark at the Sports Complex closed, the City Council decided the little used tennis courts would make a great skating area.
Five year old Marco Teck and six year old Lea Cruz were the first two to take advantage of the new DeFuniak Springs 10,000 square foot skate park. The new park is for skateboards, inline skates and BMX bikes. The city plans to keep adding features. Funds from Christmas Reflections provided for the start with $10,000 given to the project.
Mayor Harold Carpenter said they have been working on the project for a long time and gave credit to Ed Joyner and his staff for putting the park together. Ron Dickie is the city employee who fabricated the new equipment and unlike the previous attempt, these features use a professional grade surface. A park was built at the Sports Complex off Gene Hurley Road, but the lack of local access, vandalism and quality of equipment cased numerous problems.
No one knows for sure when the first skate board was put together, but by the 1960’s many were attaching a box or plank to roller skates to do some “sidewalk surfing” when they could not surf the waves. The popularity grew and the invention of a new wheel style in the 70’s grew the sport even more. While it waned for a period, the modern use of half pipes, half banks, hips, mini ramps, rails and other features have given even more challenges.
Sine the 1970’s, skateparks have also been constructed. These parks can be found in all styles and sizes, indoors and out, throughout the country. Many times the parks are built by and operated by cities and local governments as a way to provide a recreation area for skaters, bikers and skateboarders. For some, the parks are a way to keep the skateboarders off the streets. One current trend is to combine outdoor art and sculptures that can also be used by skaters.
Parks can be found in cities like Louisville Kentucky and Houston Texas. The facility in Houston was a $2.7 million public park and covers over 40,000 square feet. The skatepark is one of the largest in the Texas at 30,000 square. The skatepark is free to use for the public.
For those using the DeFuniak Springs Skate Park will need to sign a liability waiver and have their picture taken. If you are under 18, then you need to have your parents sign the waiver. You will also need a helmet to use the park. The park has 24-hour video surveillance with monitors at the Police Department. A state law was created to give cities the ability to operate skate parks with limited liability. Pictures are on our website, http://www.wzep1460 and click the “News” button.
That is definitely not worth the drive to check out.