A crew of workers from Custom Construction in Hot Springs makes the second pour of concrete for the skateboard park in Butler Park. The skateboard park has a group from American Ramp Company scheduled to set up equipment and offer a skateboarding demonstration on Saturday. Fundraising activities are also planned by some of the young people of the city, with proceeds earmarked for skateboard equipment. Curt Nettinga/Hot Springs Star

Skateboard demo to christen new park June 14; Area youth plan fundraising activities to go toward additional equipment
By Curt Nettinga

HOT SPRINGS – The new Hot Springs skateboard park will be on display June 14, when a crew from the American Ramp Company will be in town with the company’s 2008 Demo Tour.

A team of skateboarders from ARC will bring a collection of ramps, half-pipes, grind rails and other equipment to set up on the recently poured cement pad in Butler Park. The crew will demonstrate the equipment to the local boarders, who will also have a chance to tryout the equipment.

The demo is scheduled to begin at noon and will run until at least 3 p.m.

Street Department Superintendent Gene Weisser noted that ARC requires that all local participants must complete a waiver and must have their own helmet to wear to participate. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

In addition, some of the local youth have planned fundraising activities at the park, with proceeds earmarked for the skatepark.

According to Angie Collignan, several of the youth who are interested will be offering food, clothing and children’s bikes as fundraisers.

“They are going to do chili-dogs, chips and pop,” she said, “plus will have t-shirts for sale.”

There will be three children’s bicycles which will be raffled off as well. Tickets will be available at the park during the demo and the drawing will take place that afternoon.

Yvonne Donohoe, added that the skaters are organizing a ‘game and skate’ where people who wish to do so may pledge money for a specific skater or trick.

All funds raised will go to the skateboard park. The first phase of the park, the pouring of a concrete pad, has been completed. The next phase will involve purchasing of equipment with additional cement work planned in the future, to include drop-in sides and a sidewalk around the area.

The ARC demo tour is hitting cities across the country where a skateboard park is in the process of being constructed, so that the local riders can experience the equipment first hand and so that those purchasing the equipment can see the product before making a decision.