The Tifton Skatepark Initiative has had a busy year since we organized last spring as a group of skaters, bikers and adults, meeting monthly at the Rec Department toward our objective of a Tift County skatepark. We sincerely appreciate the support and interest of the community. This objective has sparked a good bit of lively debate and will continue to do so in the month ahead as the Tift County Board of Commissioners looks more closely at providing a location on Recreation Department property for skaters.

We feel we need to respond to some questions raised in the Gazette earlier this month. First, thank you to the Tift County Board of Commissioners for listening compassionately to the concerns of area youth, their parents, and other interested individuals. Thank you for the support of Tifton City Council members and our new Mayor Jamie Cater. And thank you to the 300-plus individuals who signed our petition in support of a Tift County Recreation Department Skatepark that ran in the Gazette on Dec. 22, 2007. Thanks to those who have contacted us to add their names to that list.

Also, we thank the Tifton Gazette, Editor Florence Rankin and Reporter Jana Cone for giving the skatepark issue front page coverage on Dec. 23, 2007, explaining in depth where the movement for a Tift County skatepark stands. And thank you to the many readers who have posted their support or concerns and questions in the Rant and Rave columns.

We especially thank those who have given donations to the skatepark cause. The Tift County Commission on Children and Youth is a 501c3 tax-exempt institution authorized to accept contributions for the benefit of youth in our county, and they have a Skatepark Fund. The Tifton Skatepark Initiative has done a few fundraisers over the summer, but we were concerned about accepting bigger donations before we have a definite location.

The Tift County Board of Commissioners is expected to vote soon whether a strip of land along the ball field on Second Street at Victory Drive will be designated as a skatepark location. Once the location is established, we can fundraise in earnest for a skatepark, and we have a number of ideas you’ll be hearing about soon, including an art project in conjunction with the Love Affair.

The Tony Hawk Foundation is just one organization that requires a location be established before they will consider an application for funding. The amount THF will give is between $2,000 and $25,000.

Our research indicates that most parks are funded 50 percent through private contributions and 50 percent government funding. Our skaters and supporters are realistic about how much funding there is in our community from both sources, and are asking the community to start small and do what they can to help get skaters off the streets. The county estimates it will cost about $36,000 to lay a concrete pad on the Second Street location. We have a price list of ramps, boxes and other modules by Woodward Ramps & Rails, ranging from $168 to $99,266, and everything in between.

One Rant and Rave in particular raised the following questions: “Who will be responsible for ongoing upkeep and maintenance?” It would be a Rec Department facility under the county’s auspices. “Who will have liability for injuries, incidents, insurance, etc. and who will be supervising for open hours?” The park would be unsupervised with county’s general liability insurance covering it. The county attorney has investigated the liability question, and found skateboarding is no different from any other activity with an inherent risk, such as football, basketball and other sport.

Skatepark participants would acknowledge and assume the risks of skating there, with a posted sign saying they are skating at their own risk. Such signs are used at the Lowndes County skatepark in Hahira and other locations throughout the country. The proposed skatepark by Southern Playgrounds would have certified equipment, designs and layout.

Another rant mentioned the MTV show “Scarred.” Most of the injuries shown on this program are experienced in unsafe locations, not skateparks. Our skaters are out there now on public rights of way, getting injured and assuming their own liability. A skatepark will provide a safer location, getting our youth off the streets and out of harm’s way. We appreciate the businesses that will be glad to see skaters off their private property once the skatepark is completed.

As far as participation falling off, skateparks are only growing in popularity. Fitzgerald and Cordele have recently completed or approved plans for skateparks. Douglas has two parks, a public and a private one. We have competitive skaters in Tifton who must either skate illegally or travel to other communities to participate in their sport. This is a need that has existed since the mid-1970s here, and we are as close as our community has ever come to meeting it.

Again, thank for your support and/or your questions and concerns. Write us at tiftonskatepark@yahoo.com, and we’ll try to answer any other questions you may have.

Bonnie Sayles and Lisa Braski, Co-Chairs

Tifton Skatepark Initiative