Funds raised during annual skate jam earmarked for expansion project
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POLSON – Dozens of enthusiastic skaters were flipping and grinding during the 21st annual Skate Jam at the Seventh Avenue Skate Park on Saturday.
The Skate Jam event is one of many ways the Seventh Avenue Skate Park is raising money to fund its current $220,000 expansion project.
The proposed expansion will merge seamlessly with the original design of the park. By adding new obstacles like pyramids, rails, ledges, boxes and steps; the expansion will essentially double the size of the existing 12,000-square-foot park.
“Basically, we are pushing every side out to the fence line, making room to add a lot of different obstacles,” expansion coordinator Jesse Vargas said.
Although visiting skater Joe Doane rated the park a “10 out of 10,” there is plenty of room for improvement.
“We have a pretty advanced park,” Vargas said. “What we have noticed is kids get started but it seems like they really don’t have anything to learn on. So, the main idea and focus of the project will be adding a lot of different obstacles, especially for beginners.”
In addition to raising expansion funds, the skate jam included a barbecue and free give-a-ways as skaters embraced the opportunity to show off their best skills and tricks or just hang out with other skaters.
In the skills related competitions, competitors were split into two different age categories to allow for all ages to be involved. Adrian Garcia claimed the top spot in the best trick competition for the 17 and under category, while Isaac Knudsen was tops in the 18 and older.
The next major event at the Seventh Avenue Skate Park will be the annual BMX Jam at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 2.
