Park Side Skatepark

Park+Side+Skatepark

New addition to local park promises an interesting skating space
Eowyn Smith | Reporter and Designer

Parkside Skateshop is a small, locally-owned business here in Columbia. They sell a wide variety of skateboards, grip tapes, shoes, socks, hats, etc. In the back outside of Parkside, there used to be a mini skate ramp for customer use, but after some consideration it was torn down due to it being old and the maintenance that went into keeping it safe. In the space the mini ramp occupied, is hopefully going to be a small concrete skatepark. It will be big enough for about 3 people at a time to be on it.
“There is going to be a waiver for kids that will need to be signed in order to skate here and a helmet will be needed,” says Shane Stander, co-owner of Parkside. There will be lights up, which the other skateparks don’t have. “There will be times when people can come out and help pour some concrete, put some sweat equity into it themselves,” says Stander. This addition could be great for Columbia, because kids will be able to learn to skate at this park and the large community of local skaters will have a place to practice. The park will only be usable during store hours and with the permission from the owners, and they’re accepting donations for this new addition on GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/parkside-diy-concrete-skatepark