Shredders’ paradise

PALMER — Although local skaters have been shredding the ramps at the new Palmer Skate Park for the past week, some of those who made the place happen will cut the ribbon for the park’s official opening Saturday.

The park’s grand opening culminates four years of effort form a local skateboarder bent on creating a legal place for him and other skaters to practice their sport.

The idea for the park originated with Cody Vetter, who was a freshman at Colony High School when he came up with the project. Vetter collected more than 500 signatures on a petition and posed his idea to the Palmer City Council. From there, with support from the community and local officials, the skate park slowly took shape.

Speaking from Spokane, Wash., Wednesday, where he will attend college to study graphic design, Vetter said he is extremely excited about his dream being realized.

“I’m pretty excited to help out the community and help out the park,” Vetter said. “I’m a little bummed because I can’t be there.”

Vetter said he is most proud that he stuck with the skate park project for four years, something he says runs counter to the general opinion of skateboarders from the public.

“It makes skaters look better,” he said.

The project gained speed after Palmer Mayor John Combs threw his support behind the initiative. Vetter said he has nothing but admiration for Combs and his enthusiasm for the park.

“I can’t give enough credit to the mayor,” Vetter said.

As others in the community jumped on board, the Palmer Skateboard Association was formed, giving the project an official coalition working toward its completion.

Not everyone is so enthused about the skate park, however.

Krystal Moffitt, 38, lives across the street from the park and said the constant noise has become a nuisance. She said no one asked for her input before constructing the skate park.

“No one ever asked me how I felt,” Moffitt said.

Early Thursday morning, Moffitt said she was awoken by the thumping of bass coming from the speakers of a car parked at the skate park. With Alaska’s long summer days, Moffitt said the loud music coming from the park rings at all hours.

“That’s what I hear all day now,” she said.

If the city made a rule prohibiting loud music at the park it would really help, Moffitt said.

The music Thursday morning, which Moffitt said began around 8:30 a.m., prompted her to make her first call to police reporting the noise. It’s not that she has anything against skateboarders, Moffitt said, but, like any resident, she cherishes her peace and quiet.

“I’m all for kids having something to do,” Moffitt said. “It’s the location, really.”

Combs said police officers won’t drive by the park any more than usual, and said its proximity to the police station puts it on a route often used by both on- and off-duty officers.

“If [skateboarders] use the park properly, it’s very visible from two major roads there,” Combs said.

The Palmer Skateboard Association reports it has more than 100 community members interested in creating a safe place for children to enjoy skateboarding. With money donated from organizations like the Mat-Su Health Foundation and the city, the project took off and construction began when the Alaska Railroad Corp. started removing old track to make room for a level slab.

Isaac Carter, a builder with Joplin, Mo., based American Ramp Co., put the finishing touches on the ramps and rails awaiting the bottoms of skateboards last week. Saturday’s ceremony comes on the heels of what appears to be the first significant injury at the park after a 15-year-old boy fell from his bicycle Tuesday night, landing on his head and having what was reported as a seizure from the impact.

The teen, whose name hasn’t been released, was not wearing a helmet, witnesses at the scene reported. Signs posted at the park say bikes are not allowed at the Palmer Skate Park.

Palmer Skateboard Association Treasurer George Stuart said the accident is unfortunate, but officials anticipated some injuries at the park. Stuart said warnings posted at the park fully explain the risks involved with using the equipment.

For Vetter, who also said injuries at the skate park can be expected due to the inherent risks of performing tricks on the park’s features, the fact the victim broke the rules and was biking at the park speaks volumes.

“That’s why they say ‘no bikers,’” he said.

Moffitt said the injury doesn’t surprise her, adding she sees bikers at the park all the time using the equipment.

Injuries aside, Vetter said the park as an outlet for skaters to legally practice their sport is a benefit to Palmer.

“The best thing about having the skate park done is just having it done,” Vetter said.