Northfield plans summer 2002 skateboard park construction

By Michael Davis
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

With permission of the town of Northfield, a skateboard park will be erected at memorial park during the summer of 2002, according to a co-chairman of the skateboard park.

"We are trying to get a skateboard park built at memorial park by the swimming pool," said Sally Davidson of Northfield, who is a co-chairman of the skateboard park.

Permission to put in the skateboard park has been received from the town selectmen, the trusties, and the recreation board of Northfield, said Mark Finch of Northfield, 17, the other co-chairman of the skateboard park and a senior at the Northfield High School.

Davidson and Finch came up with the plan for the skateboard park last fall. "We have $12,000 raised so far," said Davidson, "and I was told we could have it built in a couple of weekends."

Fundraisers that have been done to raise money for the skateboard park include a late summer chicken barbecue downtown in Northfield, a spaghetti dinner at the American Legion, and raffles, said Finch

According to Davidson, the current cost to put in the skateboard park is estimated to be $20,000.

The $20,000 is based on a 100 by 100 foot area, eight to 10 jumps or ramps, wood, pro-light surface, pavement, and a chain link fencing all around the skateboard park for safety reasons, Finch said.

The pro-light surface is a "fiber glass type sheet that goes on the surface of the ramps to protect them from the weather and to make them smooth for smaller wheels that are on roller blades," Finch said

According to Davidson, the reason for putting the skateboard park in memorial park is "it will fall under Northfield's liability as the recreation committee" since the park was already formed.

Matthew Michael Maduroski of Northfield, 16, and a junior at the Northfield High school, said that the skateboard park is good "so that people that skate go places other than the streets."

"I think that it is a good idea to put it in sooner or later," said Brian Hurley, 20, a sophomore business major from Cohasset, Mass.

One of the concerns about the skateboard park is that it might take the place of what is now the basketball court. "I don't think that it is a good idea," Maduroski said, that they are going to take away "the basketball court."

According to Finch, he wants to build the skateboard park near an existing cement basketball court. "Our goal is to incorporate the basketball court with the skateboard park."

Hurley said that the skateboard park is "a good chance for off season hockey players and other roller skaters to train and have fun."

According to Davidson, by the summer of 2002, if all goes as planned, "the skateboard park will be built."

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