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Flickr user soleir
Soon to be seen slightly less?
References: #Charleston City Paper
By Ken Hawkins, but enhanced by others
Updated May 13, 2010 at 10:43 am; First filed Mar 31, 2010 at 6:33 pm$2 million set aside for a downtown Charleston skate park (updated x2)
Update May 13: Yet more reporting on the park, this time with a little added perspective and information; check out the article at Charleston Magazine.
Gotta love this quote, "It’s like skateboarders and government trying to get married."
Update April 22: If you've been following the criticism the park has been getting, know that the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission's Executive Director Tom O'rourke has written and impassioned defense in The Post and Courier, saying in part, "These people should know that if they do not use the new skate park and do not pay the user fee, none of their money is going to support this facility."
Update April 3: The Post and Courier has published a story on the news with little new information. But what's of interest isn't the news, but how the paper is poking fun of the idea.
While the writer, David Slade, points out towards the end how this sort of a park is the sort of thing the PRC generally gets behind and he points out even odder things the group funds (example: the Mullet Hall Equestrian Center), it doesn't stop the paper from belittling the idea at the get go.
The story was the center piece on today's front page with a large headline that reads "Dude, for real?"
The second paragraph reads "Two. Million. Dollars."
I'm not quite sure why they've picked up a negative slant on the project, particularly when they didn't even blink at news the City of Charleston would be heavily involved in the more-than $100 million make over of the Gaillard Municipal Auditorium.
There's a real argument of the positive economic impact such a park could bring, plus the additional room it allows the city to push skateboarding off the streets.
Here's another link to their piece.
First reporting: The Charleston City Paper is reporting that for the first time in decades downtown Charleston may get a skate park thanks to a $2 million commitment by Charleston County Parks and Recreation.
Get the scoop on what, when, and why on their site.
I dropped a Google map of the spot below.
Google
01 Apr 2010 8:25 am.
Can't wait!
DIPTNYC
01 Apr 2010 3:17 pm.
It's good to see that this is actually finally coming to fruition it would apprear.
http://diptnyc.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/we-have-received-for-that-2-mill...
DIPTNYC
02 Apr 2010 8:34 am.
More info available over at Pour It Now as well
http://www.pouritnow.com/blog/dipt-nyc-covers-charleston-skatepark-2m-al...
scphotog
04 Apr 2010 7:50 pm.
Glad to see a positive position on this from a news organization. Props to the Digitel and the City Paper, for their article as well. The P&C is looking for controversy to sell papers... seems like a desperate move.
I wonder if the "Charleston Scene" will pick it up with a different attitude ?
The skaters here in Charleston are super excited about this. It's been a long time coming. There's a lot more skaters than the general population realizes. A LOT more... This park will be popular and it will be a grand success despite the naysayers. Keep and eye out for some non-skate related but exciting additions to the park as well that will make it even more attractive and fun for Charlestonians.
Take a look through my photos for some idea about skating in Charleston. ;) *shameless self promotion, guilty.*
Here's a link right to the gallery...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scphotog/collections/72157621855875269/
08 May 2010 8:16 am.
Yeah, i agree with you. it will eliminate the skateboarding complaints for sure. it is good that there is a positive look on this
25 Apr 2010 12:27 pm.
People are loosing there homes, schools laying off staff ,library cuts,and 2 million on a skate park! We deserve what we get. Disgraceful.
Ken Hawkins
25 Apr 2010 3:35 pm.
@mf, true it seems like a lot. By why is there so little outcry over $100 million for an arts venue?
scphotog
08 May 2010 10:52 am.
"losing" not "loosing".
Understand that there are different entities within the local government that have specific duties to perform and their individual budgets are not drawn from the same resource.
The county parks and rec' commission has the job of creating and maintaining parks for the use of the folks in Charleston County. They are NOT taking money away from anyone to do accomplish this. In fact, if you do some research you'll find that the CCPRC is actually successfully making money.
Pretty cool huh ?!
People losing their homes is totally unrelated.
Look to the school board if you want to place some blame for staff layoffs. I'm of the opinion that they misappropriate and misuse funds in as consistent a manner as can be possible. But that's another story... again the skate park monies don't come from the school system.
Libraries are dieing. The great percentage of research and indeed news, as well as many other forms of reading, be it fictional or non' is happening more and more on the internet everyday.
We don't NEED libraries as much as we used to. This isn't endemic of Charleston, it's everywhere.
When the park is done, and there's tons of folks, families enjoying the place. When there's major events being held, and the place is hopping with activity. The naysayers will know they were wrong... they won't admit it, they'll go find something else to complain about.
This is a great thing for the people of Charleston. Not just the skaters but everyone. It's going to open us up for more interest from abroad, even internationally. For a tourist town, it's going be one helluva boon !
I'm excited about it... can you tell ? ;)
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