Palmer Skate Park to open Saturday

PALMER — Eager skaters jumped the gun a little early this past weekend when they began using ramps and other equipment at the new Palmer Skate Park before it was ready.

Palmer Police Department Sgt. Shayne LaCroix said some skaters were asked to leave because the concrete holding the park’s features to the ground wasn’t ready for use.

“We asked them to leave because it wasn’t secure,” LaCroix said.

No one was arrested for using the park too early, and skaters won’t have to wait much longer to use the park after its official opening on Saturday.

The Palmer Skate Park is the culmination of a grassroots effort by former Colony High School student Cody Vetter. Vetter gathered more than 500 signatures from skaters in the Mat-Su Valley who want a place to legally practice their sport.

With encouragement from Palmer Mayor John Combs, fundraisers and other pre-construction work moved forward, skate park association treasurer George Stuart said.

Last week, Isaac Carter from Joplin, Mo.-based American Ramp Co. put the finishing touches on a series of quarter pipes, table tops and fun boxes awaiting use from local skaters.

Carter said the construction went smoothly and he expects the park to be a big hit with skaters.

The Palmer Skate Park will have an official ribbon-cutting ceremony with music provided by Necrotic Opus at 2 p.m. Saturday at the facility near the corner of South Valley Way and East Arctic Avenue.

—Michael Rovito