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<br /> 1 i'SOUTH ST. PAUL: ; t.j -,,,- P ' I 1-, tF+t; +l 41 k t$‘131e i'r[.::.r i 1
<br /> r
<br /> ft it took `. years abut' skaters `got' ;own a park
<br /> 140 in Youths couldn't Aaron Birdsall ,,
<br /> -It.: ; sails over a
<br /> 941 tie happier over ' sawhorse Friday
<br /> 1n = their good fortune at the new
<br /> g " skateboard and .
<br /> "1.11 - NATALIE Y. MOORE STAFF WRITER In-line skating
<br /> park In South St
<br /> srn Paul, a few
<br /> o3 %T he kids l in South St. Paul ` are r4 , minutes after it
<br /> ;skating, falling, tripping and rock- - . opened. Birdsall,
<br /> byi mg• 15, said he's
<br /> s 1 But mostly they're happy received juvenile
<br /> After five years, several meet- r . offense tickets
<br /> bar ings and even more delays, the ' for skating In
<br /> .iijyouth' of South St.' Paul finally � ' downtown St .
<br /> , have a skateboard park. Paul and has been
<br /> z b• -At Friday's opening at Jefferson � ^ „ placed In the back
<br /> nil Skate Park, dozens of youth -'alt $ ,r,„ of a South St. 1
<br /> boys, all ages — tried out the new %.' .. �Pau1 squad car
<br /> ,
<br /> bpi wooden ramps built by the city's * ; se ver a l tim es fo r
<br /> parks and recreation department,
<br /> skating near that
<br /> i creating a sweet ending for every- , •r; t ,x I a '. : city's high school,
<br /> r aas.wa. which he attends.
<br /> di ; In 1995, a group of young peo Birdsall will work
<br /> yva pie approached Rich Dippel, parks at the park two
<br /> , , and
<br /> m recreation h city could cco build a director, and asked days a week as an
<br /> oi3 . attendant. He also,
<br /> skateboard park. It was an uphill � .. h elped build the
<br /> 6atlle. Officials didn't know it the park.
<br /> oi, sport was popular enough to war - ;"
<br /> I!i i rant a park. And the skateboard -'I'`
<br /> jr3 ers had acquired a bad reputation
<br /> ((i from skating all over the city. , - CHRIS POLYDORCFE/ PIONEER PRESS
<br /> Skateboarders were routinely ,
<br /> +;,, stopped by police officers and ' s
<br /> 0! they irked many residents. Some untouched. But, there wasn't - any an outdoor hockey rink; skate -
<br /> say unfairly. other place for skaters to hone boarding will be seasonal. In -line
<br /> Aaron Birdsall, 15, said a few their skills. skaters can also use the park.
<br /> - - skateboarders vandalized and there - The new park is _located behind Supervision is present when the
<br /> fore all were labeled as vandals. Jefferson School, where Southview park is open. Officials expect 30
<br /> -dr One could find them "skating Boulevard and Second Street youths to use the park during the
<br /> anyplace they could find chat- meet. South St. Paul invested week and 60 on the weekends.
<br /> lenges, anyplace where it said no $16,000 in the park; all of the Im just glad we finally got it.
<br /> ; skateboarding," skateboarding," Dippel said. money came from existing recre- This will prove we're not bad
<br /> ref t Bleachers, chhrches, schools and a mone y. p tional . The park is a joint kids," said Carton Relitz, 17.
<br /> - ,
<br /> !n business properties were not left venture with the city's school dis Natalie Y. Moore can be reached at
<br /> . - trict The department blackto
<br /> '.� p nmooreeploneerpress.com or (651)
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