NEW River Skate Park about ready to open

After a year of fuming and fighting over a location Tulsa is about to have its skate park. As the News on Six's Rick Wells tells us, the new location overcomes objections raised about other proposed

Thursday, August 30th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

After a year of fuming and fighting over a location Tulsa is about to have its skate park. As the News on Six's Rick Wells tells us, the new location overcomes objections raised about other proposed sites.

City workers are putting the finishing touches on what will be The River Skate Park. This of course is the reincarnation of the skate park that opened a year ago at McClure Park. That effort quickly turned from fun to fiasco as neighborhood residents protested the noise and parents and skaters fought for a place to skate. Other locations were suggested and just as quickly rejected. Until they settled on a 65 x 120 foot city park island in the middle of the River Parks, located on the West bank just South of 23d street.

There were early objections from the Levee Commissioner, who tried to stop the project, but he couldn't. Sue Price: â€œThis is a beautiful location." A real cooperative effort began, city maintenance and park workers, ramp designers, and skaters to informally test and approve the designs. Along the way even non-skaters picked up the lingo. "You just sort of jump into it, you don't really have a choice, if you don't ask, are you stoked? You wanna come out here and shred this?" Sue Price is the Fitness and Youth Sports Coordinator for the city she says during a year of fussing and fuming over this skate park and its location they learned something. "We are finally realizing this is something that we need."

The lights are up, and workers are putting a chain link fence up. There is still some paining and decorating to do, but the plan is to open the park to skaters, skateboarders and BMX bikers on Saturday, September 8th with a Grand Opening the following Saturday. The park will be open from 5 AM to 11 PM.

There will be no adult supervision, but a security guard will be available. Helmets will be required, and other safety gear recommended.