In an effort to save the 45,000 sq. ft indoor skate park in Renton, WA, Skatebarn West owners Jill Hansen and Peter Goldman are working to turn Skatebarn into a non-profit organization and seeking Parks department support from the county and cities it serves. I'm intrigued by this story and wishing them the best: Indoor skateparks are getting scarce now that there are so many great outdoor concrete parks, but skaters in rainy places like Renton, WA know the true value of a great indoor park.

Mitchie Brusco and his family reached out to me asking me to help spread the word – Skatebarn is Brusco's local park and has a vert ramp and huge street course – and I hope you'll forward this on to relevant people, repost on your blogs and Facebook and whatnot, or consider taking action yourselves (see below).

This seems like a pretty great idea, actually: Instead of building a new facility to meet an obvious need for the community, King County and the cities of Renton, Tukwilla, Kent, and SeaTac could all pitch in to support a park that is already very well-designed, well-run, and much loved, creating a new public entity – the proposed Skatebarn Regional Skatepark – and saving a great park that has not been profitable as a private facility.     

Skatebarn's current lease expires on May 1, 2009, so now is the time to act: Skaters and parents in Washington and especially King County, Renton, Tukwilla, Kent, and SeaTac are being encouraged to contact the local mayors to help bolster the argument that a quality indoor skatepark is a must for families, children, and skaters of all ages in these
communities.

Skatebarn West already does a lot of the things a great public recreation center does, offering summer day camps, private lessons, and even birthday parties. This is a great opportunity for these communites: If Skatebarn closes, these communities are eventually going to have to build new indoor or covered skate facilities to replace it.
According to a recent letter from Hansen and Goldman to the adult Skatebarn members and parents of minor members, King County has tentatively agreed to support this effort to the tune of $20,000 per year. An equal measure of support for each of the cities the skatepark serves would underwrite the park's lease and allow it to stay open.

Here are some mayors who could stand to hear some well-reasoned and articulate arguments and testimonials about the value of Skatebarn:

Dennis Law, Mayor of Renton: dlaw@rentonwa.gov
Ralph Shape, Mayor of Sea Tac: rshape@ci.seatac.wa.us
Suzette Cooke, Mayor of Kent: mayor@ci.kent.wa.us
Jim Haggerton, Mayor of Tukwila: tukmayor@ci.tukwila.wa.us

And here's the letter I'm sending to each of them, as a sample in case you're feeling like taking on some civic responsibility today on behalf of skaters in Washington:

Dear Mayor,

I'm a skateboarder and professional action sports journalist writing on behalf of my young friend Mitchie Brusco and the thousands of skateboarders currently served by Skatebarn West, the excellent indoor skateboarding facility in your community. It has come to my attention that this facility is currently scheduled to close on May 1, 2009
because its current for-profit business model is not sustainable, and that the facility's operators are seeking your support to convert the existing facility into a regional non-profit skatepark to continue serving the skateboarders, families, and children in your community at this facility and through its summer camps and extensive programs for
young people.


It has come to my attention that King's County has already tentatively agreed to support this project, but that the support of your city is also for the proposal to succeed. Although I am not a resident of your city, I hope you will consider this letter of support for this project as you make difficult Parks and Recreation budget decisions in these tough economic times. I urge you to consider that a safe, high-quality, indoor skatepark should be a top priority for your Parks and Recreation department, given the many skateboarders in your community and the weather conditions in your area, just as indoor baskteball courts, indoor swimming pools, and other facilities have been a priority. This appears to be a win-win opportunity for you to help support a new regional public park and meet a need in your community without having to build it from scratch: Skatebarn West has operated a world-class skatepark and offered a safe space for children, families, and park users of all ages for seven years. The park was
recently redesigned, has been well-maintained, and meets the needs of a wide range of skateboarders of all ages and ability levels.


To help illustrate the need for this facility, I would like to tell you more about my young friend Mitchie Brusco, a member of Skatebarn West who competes as an amateur skateboarder across the country. Mitchie was recently featured as a winner on Nickelodeon's Props contest, spotlighting the achievements of exceptional young
people. His winning video portrayed him skating at Skatebarn West, illustrating how skateboarding and access to high quality facilities have helped him achieve his dreams. I have gotten to know Mitchie and his family while covering events like the LG Action Sports Championships and the Dew Tour as a reporter, but Mitchie has been
making news as a skateboarder since he was just 3 years old and has been a member and frequent user of Skatebarn West for most of his life. Mitchie specializes in vert skateboarding, and Skatebarn West offers the only indoor vert ramp in your region. He is just one of thousands of young people who currently benefit from the facilities and programs at Skatebarn West, and who will be impacted by the void that will be left if this facility closes without your support.

There are several very good public outdoor skateboarding facilities in your area, but I submit to you that they do not meet the year-round needs of the skateboarders in your community due to weather conditions and other factors in your community. I urge you to consider this opportunity to meet the needs of your community and to better serve your citizens.

Sincerely,

Colin Bane
Skate Correspondent, Banquet Action Sports Digital Network, BNQT.com