POUGHKEEPSIE – As the cities of Middletown and Newburgh prepare to build skateboard parks, one such park in Poughkeepsie has been in use for 10 years. It was recently shut down by the city because of safety concerns.
Main part of Pougkeepsie’s skateboard facility is off limits
Now, a group of men and women who use the park, is trying to raise money to restore it. The first such formal effort was held Saturday at the facility located at Waryas Park’s north side near the children’s museum.
The estimated cost to repair it is $18,300 while the cost of replacing it is $37,300.
Fundraiser Tom Lamoree, known in the community as “Monster,” is hopeful that the money can be raised to bring it back to life.
“They announced that in the 2020 Olympics, they will be including skateboarding, so we are very hopeful that the next gold medal Olympians will be from Poughkeepsie and training right here in this park,” Lamoree said.
Former state senator Terry Gipson, who is in a rematch for his old seat with incumbent Susan Serino, was at the park to support it.
“I know we need to do more to curb the crime that is in this city and others but one of the things we can do is make sure that our youth have different programs to spend their time getting educated, getting exercise, feeling like they are part of the community and this skate park here provides an outlet for youth to come and do things that are productive rather than looking for ways to get in trouble,” Gipson said.
Lamoree said he has been given a verbal commitment from City Hall that if the group can raise the funding to rebuild the park, officials would keep it open.
