A NEW ERA...

Thank you so much to Mr. Gudorf, Jon Wenning at Jony D's, Jeff Fortkamp and Celina Parks and Rec, the City of Celina, past and present City Council members, the Mercer County Civic foundation, past and present City Safety Directors, Local Skaters and Parents, Kyle Miller for establishing the Celina SkatePark Facebook page, Craig Gariety for relentlessly campaigning for this project, Celina Church of God, The Lake Fest Committee, The Tony Hawk Foundation, Shinn Bros. and the many other local businesses and city residents who have given their support, time, tireless efforts and monetary donations to the Celina SkatePark.

The push for something like this actually started back in the early nineties from what I recall. Local students who endured a lot of harassment and bullying for identifying with the skate boarding culture, which was very far from the norm in a rural community such as Celina, simply needed a place to go. The internet hadn't really blown up here, cell phones were not yet a common sight and skater culture was certainly identified as something "outsider"and "alternative." There are far too many stories of harassment by fellow students, immediate dismissals and quick judgements based on the skater style of clothes the kids would wear, and a prevalent perception that these skater kids were nothing but troublemakers. I am certain some were. And I'm as certain now as I was back then, that any kid when given a place to be and their interests and identities legitimized will re-direct their energy into that interest and nothing but positivity will come out of it.  These poor kids have been chased, ran off, had the police called on them, fined, bullied and then some. All because they wanted to pursue their sport of choice but had nowhere they were actually allowed to be and nowhere legitimate to congregate. In other words, if you treat a kid like a criminal....
The kids back then wanted to prove that skateboarding is not a crime- so they circulated a petition. Sadly, the project never got off the ground. The students got older, moved away, went to college... some moving back after graduation and starting their own families and careers here. We were now on the next generation and the kids still faced many of the same obstacles. So, a few years ago, the drive began again.

Over the last few decades, skateboarding has become an internationally well known and recognized sport. You can even "Go Pro"and get a sponsorship, endorsements, video games, clothing lines...
More people understand that it is a sport, that skating encourages exercise, requires balance and is very physically demanding (just ask some of the Dads who skate with their sons and try and show 'em a thing or two)! Skate boarding requires dedication in order to be good at it. Even if you're not good at it and have no intention whatsoever on taking it any further than perfecting tricks in your buddy's driveway, it gives you something to do! It gives kids a focus, a common bond and, in a way, their very own  community. I don't know any parent, educator or any sensible person for that matter who would rather see a group of kids wandering aimlessly around town just itching for something to get into than see them hopping on a skateboard.

So here we are; a new era for Celina. Funds have been raised and the unimaginable is here! The first phase of the long awaited skatepark is a reality. Sure, there are bugs. There are quirks. This is all new territory for the entire community. But ultimately, we did it. As a community, for our community. For our kids.

So, thank you thank you thank you to the many members of our community who never gave up and who see the value in supporting our youth.

*This project is far from complete. Please, lend your support today and check back here regularly for updates. Thank you Celina!