After 38 years Salisbury skaters have a home again

After 38 years of waiting, Salisbury finally has their skate park again. The official grand opening was not until 10:30 Saturday morning, but skaters were out in close to freezing temperatures before 9 a.m. As one city official pointed out, showing that this was one of the best investments Salisbury has made in recent years.

Among those who spoke at the opening, was city mayor Jake Day, who like other city officials in attendance, was smiling from ear to ear while watching the skaters enjoy their new home.

“Look at this!” said Day. “You know this is the state and the people and the city coming together to make something happen.”

Although Day’s excitement was almost that of the skaters, one other city official, who has close ties to the skate park, was possibly more excited.

“It’s incredible,” said Debbi Stahm, community development director for Salisbury. “It’s been a long road, but all of the people who have been involved, including myself, are just absolutely thrilled that this day has finally arrived.”

Besides the skaters, Stahm knows personally just how long of a road it’s been to make the skate park a reality. In April 2007, Stahm began working with the city’s skaters to fill the void the prior park left.

The old park was demolished after the community had grown to believe that it had become breeding ground for mischief and bad behavior Stahm said, adding that the move was a mistake.

Now, in order to make sure that this new park does not suffer the same fate, Stahm and other city officials have entrusted the park to the skaters, to make sure that it stays clean of not only trash, but bad influences as well.

The belief. by city officials, is that the skaters will, because they are invested in the park. Since 2007, the skate committee raised over $20,000 by doing community fundraisers to help build the park.

“When you have pride in something and you feel that it is your own and you own it, you take care of it and if you take care of something it lasts for a long time,” said Bobby Schaller, a member of the skate committee.

The only caveat to the park is that skaters must first register with the city. The registration is free and simple, you just have to fill out a form that you can get on the city’s website, or in person, and then you receive an official Salisbury skate park sticker that you place on your helmet.

The helmet, like the registration, is mandatory, as well as the rest of the skate park rules.