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ELKINS -- Supporters of the Elkins Skatepark met this week to discuss how to keep the facility in Glendale Park, and called on others to join them at the Elkins Parks & Recreation Commission meeting set for this afternoon.
Around 20 people took part in the meeting Monday evening in Elkins City Park. They oppose the EPRC's plan to move the skatepark to property owned by the Refinery Church near North Elementary School in Highland Park, and possibly replacing the skatepark with pickleball courts. Twenty more supporters joined the meeting through a Facebook livestream.
"We were trying to figure out what our options were to present to Parks & Recreation," Dustin Standridge told The Inter-Mountain at Monday evening's meeting. "We just tried to figure out what we can present to them and see if they're willing to work with us to find funding to keep it a skatepark."
Standridge, and several others in attendance, were part of Youth Empowered Solutions (YES) and the initial project to create a skatepark in Elkins. Standridge is the former president of YES.
Those in attendance Monday evening voiced their desires to keep the skatepark where it is, with some speaking about how their kids use the park and others talking about how they have seen the skatepark be used regularly by those in the community. Issues regarding grants, funding and what they are allowed to do were discussed thoroughly. Another issue discussed was the upkeep of the park, with many supporters saying they'd be more than willing to put in the work to help keep it safe and usable.
Support for the park has gone beyond those in attendance at the meeting Monday. Dozens in the community have voiced their disapproval and disappointment online with the EPRC's plans to move the park. A petition on Change.org called "Save the Elkins Skatepark" has received around 1,600 signatures.
Also in attendance at the meeting was former mayor Van Broughton, who was on Elkins City Council and a member of the Parks Commission when the skatepark was being built. He has been an avid supporter of the park since the beginning and said he felt Monday's event was a very productive meeting.
"They talked about what's happened over the last several years and how this project began," Broughton told The Inter-Mountain at the meeting. "Where we started and where we're at now. Dustin's trying to come up with a plan now. The youth of yesterday, who are our adults today, want to see what they can do now to get this going again."
Standridge agreed the meeting was a positive one.
"Obviously, all the people that showed up are passionate about helping with the skatepark, and, hopefully, that will help us keep the skatepark, but, obviously, that's up to (the EPRC)," he said.
Supporters of the skatepark plan to attend the EPRC's meeting tonight at 5 p.m. at the Phil Gainer Community Center, and speak to commissioners during the public comments section of the meeting. Standridge and others say they feel optimistic about the meeting.
"I think our plan, if they accept it, we can do it," Standridge said. "I think we can easily raise the money to fix what's there and to continue to add to the obstacles at the skatepark."
At the end of the meeting, Alice Sabitino, a former adult advisor for YES and an initial leader of the skatepark project, called on the community to come out and join them at Wednesday's EPRC meeting to show support.
"Big shout out to all the supporters of the skatepark, we need you on Wednesday at 5 o'clock at the Phil Gainer Center," Sabitino said. "You say you want to support, we need your bodies."
Standridge and others in attendance agreed that they need to have a significant presence at today's meeting.
"The more people that come and actually show we care about the skatepark, the more likely they're going to say 'yes'," Standridge said. "I guess it's easy, and I'm not saying anything negative, but it's easy to be on the internet and say 'I support this,' but you've got to come out and physically do it. Otherwise, if we get, like, four people that go in there, like, 'Yeah we're here to talk about the skatepark,' they're going to be like 'Eh'."
According to an email sent to The Inter-Mountain by Sabitino, the history of the Elkins Skatepark is a long and tumultuous one.
Before the park was built, skateboarders in Elkins would skate throughout the city, which resulted in multiple citations, the confiscation of the skateboards and eventually created an adversarial relationship between skaters on one side, and law enforcement and city businesses on the other.
In 2006, local youth, along with parents and area adults, came together to create a 501c3 non-profit to help build a downtown community skatepark. With financial support from Mountain Partners in Community Development, the group was able to become a 501c3 under the name Youth Empowerment Solutions, or YES.
YES received grants from pro skater Tony Hawk, The Sunshine Lady Foundation, Youth Service of America and more. Donations and contributions from the community also helped with the pouring of concrete for a skate pad and for the building of ramps. The skatepark was built in 2009.
"Since the skatepark was built, it has served as a sanctuary for not only the youth of our community but has also attracted visiting skaters from all over the state and beyond," Sabitino wrote. "The establishment has promoted community solidarity, sportsmanship and healthy recreational activity for kids who might not have other athletic outlets.
"As a direct result of the opening of the skatepark, a healthier relationship has been developed between city businesses, law enforcement and the skating population, young and old alike. This community asset, although it needs funds to make it safe for everyone again, is a symbol of what we can achieve when we come together and stand for the things that matter - youth (our future leaders) and community development."
Sabitino said that moving the skatepark from Glendale Park would "deprive our children, our community and its visitors, of a vibrant, inclusive, fun and healthy environment." She added that it would negate all the work that had been done to get the skatepark built in the first place.
"With urgency, we call on our local Parks & Rec commission, Elkins City Council and Randolph County Commissioners, as well as all stakeholders to protect the Community Skatepark in Glendale," Sabitino wrote. "Please support the skatepark at Glendale Park, and let's together keep this landmark for future generations as a safe and legal place to skate!"