2008 Woodie Awards
Skateboards, music and art
Events in Arcata, Eureka to benefit skate park
Briana Alfaro
Issue date: 4/11/07 Section: Community
- Page 1 of 1
When Jake Jones was twelve, his parents took him to Eureka City Council meetings when building a skate park was on the agenda. Eighteen years later, he will return to Humboldt County to help get the project off the ground.
Jones moved south seven years ago to pursue a career in skateboarding and is now a team manager for Santa Cruz Skateboards. Saturday, professional skaters Alex Carolino, Flo Marfaing, Ted DeGros and Sid Melvin from his team will skate and sign autographs at Greenhouse Boardshop in Arcata to raise money to build the skate park. They will also attend an evening event at the Accident Gallery in Eureka, also to benefit the project.
Eureka Councilmember Jeff Leonard will be at Greenhouse. Leonard has been active in rejuvenating plans for the skate park. Leonard graduated from Eureka High School in 1983 and said he always wanted to see a skate park built. When elected to the city council, he made it a priority to see the project through.
"We set a high goal for the park and it's taken time to get the pieces in place," Leonard said.
A lack of money took the project off course in the past. The City of Eureka earmarked $175,000 in state bonds for the park, and it is up to supporters to raise the remaining $50,000 to $100,000 required to complete the project by January 1, 2008.
If the park isn't built by this date, the bond funds expire and money again becomes a hurdle.
Leonard hopes the community and local businesses will step forward to raise the money over the summer in order to start construction in September.
Greenhouse Boardshop in Arcata hosts the free, daytime portion of the event that starts at noon.
The evening affair at Accident Gallery starts at 6 p.m. The Invasions and The Baby Arms, described by Greenhouse owner Jess Bareilles as organic punk bands, will perform at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Santa Cruz Skateboards will premiere its latest video and autographed skateboard decks and clothing from Hosoi, Listen and Element Skateboard companies will be auctioned. Donations at the door ($2 to $5) and proceeds from beer, wine and soft drinks will all go toward the skate-park project.
Erren Franklin lives in Eureka but commutes to Arcata because he said the skate park there is the only good place to skate. He skates for Greenhouse and will be at the event Saturday to help out.
"Eureka would really benefit from having a skate park. I see a lot of kids that don't have a place to go," Franklin said.
Jones would like to see a skate park in Eureka not only for community members who don't have a place to skate, but also to promote tourism in Humboldt County.
"If someone like me goes to a park and films a skate video, the skate park can become a [tourist] attraction," Jones said.
The design of the park is key to attracting skaters, Jones said.
Councilmember Leonard plans to design a park that is high-quality and can serve a wide variety of skaters. To get involved with the design, contact Leonard at (707) 441-4170.
"The time has come," Leonard said, "to get this thing taken care of."
Jones moved south seven years ago to pursue a career in skateboarding and is now a team manager for Santa Cruz Skateboards. Saturday, professional skaters Alex Carolino, Flo Marfaing, Ted DeGros and Sid Melvin from his team will skate and sign autographs at Greenhouse Boardshop in Arcata to raise money to build the skate park. They will also attend an evening event at the Accident Gallery in Eureka, also to benefit the project.
Eureka Councilmember Jeff Leonard will be at Greenhouse. Leonard has been active in rejuvenating plans for the skate park. Leonard graduated from Eureka High School in 1983 and said he always wanted to see a skate park built. When elected to the city council, he made it a priority to see the project through.
"We set a high goal for the park and it's taken time to get the pieces in place," Leonard said.
A lack of money took the project off course in the past. The City of Eureka earmarked $175,000 in state bonds for the park, and it is up to supporters to raise the remaining $50,000 to $100,000 required to complete the project by January 1, 2008.
If the park isn't built by this date, the bond funds expire and money again becomes a hurdle.
Leonard hopes the community and local businesses will step forward to raise the money over the summer in order to start construction in September.
Greenhouse Boardshop in Arcata hosts the free, daytime portion of the event that starts at noon.
The evening affair at Accident Gallery starts at 6 p.m. The Invasions and The Baby Arms, described by Greenhouse owner Jess Bareilles as organic punk bands, will perform at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Santa Cruz Skateboards will premiere its latest video and autographed skateboard decks and clothing from Hosoi, Listen and Element Skateboard companies will be auctioned. Donations at the door ($2 to $5) and proceeds from beer, wine and soft drinks will all go toward the skate-park project.
Erren Franklin lives in Eureka but commutes to Arcata because he said the skate park there is the only good place to skate. He skates for Greenhouse and will be at the event Saturday to help out.
"Eureka would really benefit from having a skate park. I see a lot of kids that don't have a place to go," Franklin said.
Jones would like to see a skate park in Eureka not only for community members who don't have a place to skate, but also to promote tourism in Humboldt County.
"If someone like me goes to a park and films a skate video, the skate park can become a [tourist] attraction," Jones said.
The design of the park is key to attracting skaters, Jones said.
Councilmember Leonard plans to design a park that is high-quality and can serve a wide variety of skaters. To get involved with the design, contact Leonard at (707) 441-4170.
"The time has come," Leonard said, "to get this thing taken care of."
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