Local News

<< Previous   of   Next >> Michael O'Leary / The Herald  (click to enlarge) Michael Vlasak of Clements Brothers Inc. puts some final touches on the new skate park at Wiggum's Hollow Park in Everett. The park includes a stainless-steel skateboard sculpture. (click to enlarge) Herald staff photo by Michael O'Leary 042508 Michael Vlasak of Clements Brothers Inc. puts some final touches on a the new skate park at Wiggums Hollow park in Everett. The park includes a large stainless-stell skateboard sculpture. (click to enlarge)   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 Everett skate park almost ready to open By David Chircop Herald Writer EVERETT -- Troubled youth locked up in juvenile hall will soon be able to hear what they're missing. The city's second skateboard park is scheduled to open within three weeks and with it will come the sounds of grinding and scraping. The street-style park across 10th Street is a stone's throw from Denney Juvenile Justice Center. "It's just like a candy bar right out in front of them," said contractor Tim Clements, whose Bonney Lake company is wrapping up construction on the street-style park. To celebrate, the city's planning a series of free summer concerts at the park. The park, to be named Wiggum's Hollow Skate Park, is expected to cost up to $595,000, including design and construction. When finished, it will include lights, a fenced-in skating area, a small parking lot, a drinking fountain, sidewalks and benches. It will also include two cameras that will capture video to stream on the city's Web site. The park was designed by Grindline Skateparks, a West Seattle company that designed Arlington's skate park and dozens more in cities around the country, including San Francisco; Phoenix, and Austin, Texas. The basic design of the park in north Everett was formed after a meeting with skateboarders and city parks officials. Skaters told park planners that they wanted amenities that resemble what you'd find in a plaza outside a high-rise office building. Planners listened and they made sure the park included concrete stairs, rails, ledges, curbs, benches and a Jersey barrier, concrete road blocks. The 10,000-square-foot park also includes a giant stainless-steel skateboard sculpture that people can skate on. Sitting on a bench across 10th Street one afternoon last week, Lupe Perez, 17, said he's watched the park take shape for the past few months. The Center for Career Alternatives student, who said he plans to one day own a construction company, said he'll be one of the first to roll a skateboard onto the new park. "It's pretty cool they're offering this for skateboarders," he said. "It will give kids something to do and keep them out of trouble." Looking out the third floor window of her apartment at Highlander Apartments directly above the skate park, Denia Morales said she isn't too worried about the noise. "My son is 17 and he's going to love it," she said. The park will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the summer and 10 a.m. to dusk the rest of the year. Clements, a youth football coach, said the project has attracted intense interest. "You wouldn't think skateboard parks would have that much draw but for those kids that aren't in organized sports, what a place for them," he said. He has given countless tours of the park at all hours of the day and night, including one at 2 a.m. Clements stayed in a camper on-site to keep people from skating on the wet cement. The park is on pace to open between May 19 to 26, parks officials say. Park planners had hoped to have the park open by last June. But construction was delayed because of extra design work and an underground spring that was discovered. The city's first skate park, near Walter E. Hall Golf Course on W. Casino Road in south Everett, was approved in 1998. Reporter David Chircop: 425-339-3429 or dchircop@heraldnet.com. Teen concerts The city of Everett plans a teen concert series at the park this summer. Shows are scheduled for Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Wiggums Hollow Skate Park, 2808 10th St. n June 28 -- Eclectic Approach, a six-piece Tri-Cities band headed by MCs Mark Putnam and Jowed Hadeed n July 12 -- Handful of Luvin', a high-energy folk rock band from Bellingham n July 26 -- Left Hand Smoke, a Seattle band that combines funk, jazz, and rock and soul

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