Sports
Skateboarders now have a space to call their own.
By Nick DeRatto
Apr 30, 2008 - 11:24:22 AM

Jeff Myers tests out XZone’s new skate park, performing a tailslide along one of the park’s trick boxes. XZone hopes to complete all four phases of the skate park within the next year.

Business owners tired of shooing away skateboarders can now breathe a collective sigh of relief.

On Saturday, April 26, the XZone held a grand opening for their new outdoor skate park. Designed and built by Woodward Ramps and Rails, the 121-foot-by-91-foot park marks a collaborative effort between XZone and Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation.

“It’s awesome,” says Adam Short, skate park consultant and manager of the XZone. “We are real excited about finally having this done and getting it open.”

For the grand opening, XZone constructed a tent city, welcoming representatives from Volcom, Glass & Powder, and XZone. The Glass & Powder skate team also performed a demo and representatives gave away a number of prizes to skaters, ranging from T-shirts to skate decks.

“The skate park is pretty good,” says Jeff Myers, a skateboarder who tried out the park during its grand opening. “I can’t wait to see what it will be like when it is bigger.”

Featuring benches, rails, tables, a quarter-pipe, and cheddars – wedge ramps – the skate park is the culmination of years of planning.

“This was something that we have wanted for five years, but we really started working on the project two years ago,” says Short. “We already had a small scale park, but wanted to do something bigger. This is a good place for kids to skate, so that they aren’t doing it in front of businesses and getting a bad reputation. It gives kids an alternative place to go.”

Targeting the middle and high school crowds, the skate park marks the latest addition to the XZone’s after-school program, a program that includes a variety of activities such as tutoring, hip hop dance lessons, guitar lessons, and paintballing. Though enrollment in the after-school program is not required to use the park, only people under 18 will be allowed to use the park during the week.

“Since kids in the after- school program will be using the park, we don’t want to have a security risk by letting adults use it while the program is going on. However, on the weekends, it will be open to anyone,” says Short.

With the park targeted towards kids still in school, officials at the XZone have set their skating fees so that they would be affordable for students. A single all-day session costs $5, while monthly memberships can be bought for $40 and yearly ones for $300. These fees will be used to offset the costs of building the next three phases of the skate park.

“Hopefully we will get more funding from Chesterfield County Parks and Rec and from private sponsors so we can combine that with the fees to finish the park,” says Short. “We are looking at adding a spine, fun box, and two big ramps; we want it to be as large as the Woodward Camps in Pennsylvania. Hopefully, we will be able to get the whole thing done in a year.”

Although the park only had its grand opening last weekend, it has already gotten support from the community.

“The response so far has been great,” says Short. “The partnership with Chesterfield County has given us a great voice in the community and the parents and kids have all been very excited. It’s just very exciting.”

The XZone skate park is open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 2-6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 12-6 p.m. until the end of the school year. Once the school year ends, the park will be open Monday through Saturday from 12-6 p.m. and on Sundays from 1-5 p.m. The XZone is located at 6851 Courthouse Rd.; more information about programs can be found by calling 715-3232.

nderatto@villagepublishing.com | 751-0421

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