Bemidji skatepark

After decades of denial, Bemidji finally has a public skatepark... and some skaters say it's the best one in the state!  Over the years, we've seen skateparks developed in Grand Rapids and Duluth.  Even little parks in Baudette and Kelliher.  Local skaters have made trips to Grand Forks and Fargo to skate legally.  In Bemidji, they just got busted.

It's illegal to skate downtown or near any public school or the university.  The cops had a code: "baggy pants", they used to swoop down on skaters.  If a skater wasn't breaking a law, she/he didn't get arrested, but in some cases just got harassed.

It really appeared to be a war on youth, at least youth whose recreation pursuits were not organized, adult-supervised, scheduled and uniformed.

About ten years ago, local kids, under the umbrella of Healthy Community Healthy Kids, raised money by renting the National Guard armory, booking bands and putting up structures indoors to skate on, then hauling them all back home again. They turned the money over to Smart Skate for a outdoor skatepark with wooden structures.  It was in a location that was difficult for kids without cars to get to.  That and other problems led to its closure.

Our new skatepark will officially open on November 5 at 3:30.  I plan on being there for the ceremony.  It is largely the achievement of Nate Dore, a local state economist, who spent several years doing fund raisers, writing grant applications, and jumping through bureaucratic hoops.  He was instrumental in getting Minnesota public liability insurance policies to allow six feet of elevation in skate park structures.   The park was designed and constructed by a contractor who specializes in skate parks.

Construction was completed a week or so ago, but for technical/legal reasons, it was cordoned off until yesterday.  Several people were arrested for succumbing to temptation after so many years of deprivation and skating early on this magnificent park.  Others were run off, until Friday.  On perhaps the last warm beautiful day of the year, the park was flooded with people: kids, young adults, families who drove from other communities.  The cops looked the other way and the barricades were removed the next day.

The park is on city property, just east of the curling club.  Stop by and watch some amazing athletes doing things that most of us could only dream of.  Show your support of our young people by showing up for the opening ceremonies, November 5, 3:30-6pm.