Skate park Breakdown
Local skaters avoid park, cite poor conditions

ABOVE: Weeds grow through cracks in the pavement as Jameson Spensor rides a ramp at the Gallup Skate park Thursday July, 17.— © 2008 Gallup Independent / Cable Hoover BELOW: Rule number 13 for the Gallup skate park gives skaters permission to take extreme risks, stating "Extreme recklessness will be tolerated." — © 2008 Gallup Independent / Jeff Jones
Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Kevin Killough
Staff writer

GALLUP — On most evenings around dusk, the city’s skate park is crowded with teens skating in the sunset. The skate park, which sits behind Lincoln Elementary School on 8th Street, was built several years ago. The hope at the time was that the park would offer an alternative to skateboarders, who often use private property for their hobby. But skaters say that the cracks in the pavement and other problems make parking lots and downtown public areas more appealing.

“It’s perfect,” Nathaniel Watson says sarcastically with a laugh when asked about the skate park’s condition.
Stomping forward off his board, another teen, Frankie Kee, shows off what happens when the front wheels of his board hit a crack in the pavement.

“It’ll make you fall forward,” he says.
The kids gather round and list off a series of problems with the park. The lack of water fountains, lack of shade, and lack of lighting at night all make the park a hard place to skate. The metal ramps also get very hot in the afternoon sun, adding to the punishment when a kid falls off a board on one. The city does provide bathrooms, but the kids say they try and avoid them.

“That one’s nasty,” says Lane Ellsworth, pointing to a portable toilet outside the gate.

When the city built the new courthouse, damage to corners from skate boarders was of particular concern. Their hobby is the cause of damage to concrete and other public structures, which can be costly to clean. The city installs metal stops along the edges of concrete corners to discourage skateboarders from “sliding” along the edge with the decks of their boards, which marks up the edge. But the park was suppose to be a big incentive to keep skaters off public and private property. With resources limited and more important demands calling for funding, the park can’t be a top priority for the city. City Manager Gerry Herrera says he wishes the kids would use the park more.

“I think the kids prefer to use the parking lot of Pinnacle Bank more than they do the park,” he said.

The Parks Department maintains the park, which is free and open to the public.