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The Way We Roll, Highlands Skate Park
Written By: Jenny King | Issue: 2018/04 - April
Back in 2015, Highlands Mayor Patrick Taylor brought the idea of a local skate park to the town board.
Regulations prohibited skaters from using town sidewalks, streets, or the Kelsey-Hutchinson Park on Pine street, but Taylor and Rec Park Director Lester Norris felt there was a definite need for a park, given the increasing popularity in the sport.
Fast forward to now, and it looks like the park will be open very shortly. Construction was scheduled to begin in February, but was delayed due to weather. It will be located on the Rec Park property at the former site of the playground, which has been moved to allocate space for the ramps. Norris said none of the town funds were needed to make this happen, as the money came strictly from donations.
Skateboarding in the U.S. has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the 1950s when California surfers decided it was a great way to bring their sport to the streets. Over the decades the science and art of skateboarding has evolved from the early days of clay wheels and wooden crates to multi-ply maple decks with effective foot platforms and polyurethane wheels manufactured for the type of skating the rider chooses.
Skateboarding has waxed and waned in its acceptance as a recognized sport. Many credit ESPN’s first Extreme Games in 1995 for bringing the sport closer to general acceptance. Now, thanks to the improvements in safety equipment, it’s viewed as a great way to get outdoors, improve coordination, and teach physical endurance.
Remember when parents complained about the lack of activities for their children? Well, the skate park is just one more addition to an already impressive list of opportunities provided by the Highlands Recreation Department to community members of all ages.
Whether it’s swimming, skating, tennis, summer rec camps, or other youth sports, there are plenty of reasons to step away from screen time and participate in some esteem-building activities.
