Life is a beach for Albert Lea skateboarders and rollerbladers.

Tuesday, June 12, 2001

Life is a beach for Albert Lea skateboarders and rollerbladers.

The Albert Lea city council voted Monday to give area skaters a permanent location for their skate park at the city beach. The site should be ready by August, said City Manager Paul Sparks.

At a cost of about $31,000, the city will pay for a new blacktop surface and fencing at the beach location, clearing the way for the skate park to move its ramps and equipment from its temporary home at the Channel View courts.

Skate Park Association spokesman Paul Evenson said the association needs enough space to bring in more ramps and accommodate the growing numbers of skaters. Already, the association has more than 150 young people with signed waivers to skate.

&uot;I think the beach would be a very good location for a permanent spot for the park,&uot; Evenson said. &uot;I think we’re all settled on that.&uot;

The beach location would enable the association to plan for expansion, utilize restrooms, install a small office and offer concessions, Evenson said. A move this summer would also allow Albert Lea tennis players access to the Channel View courts in time for the fall season, he said.

In the more than two weeks of operation, the current skate park has shown that noise, supervision and clean-up are no longer concerns, Evenson said.

&uot;All in all, it’s been a very good operation,&uot; he said.

Sparks said the city has not solicited bids on the beach site improvements. He hopes to find an available contractor to complete the job in the coming weeks.

Though nobody voiced opposition to the move, two young Albert Lea skaters, Dan Sharpsteen and Gradon Schultz, said the skate park has been important to them.

&uot;I have something to do all day, and I can’t really go uptown because there are a lot of cars,&uot; Schultz said.

Mayor Bob Haukoos said he felt relieved that the council was able to find a suitable location for the skate park that satisfied all the parties involved.

&uot;The city made a commitment to help this organization, and I’m glad we we’re able to follow through on it,&uot; he said.

Association founder Stan Sevaldson also supported the move.

&uot;If the beach is our new home, it should work out fine,&uot; he said.