IRONWOOD, MI - Wednesday, March 26, 2008 - A special skate park fund-raising meeting was held on Tuesday, March 25, 2008, at 4:00 PM CST in the Women's Club Room on the second floor of the Ironwood Memorial Building.

The meeting was lead by Ironwood City Manager, Scott Erickson. In his introduction, he told those in attendance where the new skate park will be located and what progress has been made to date. According to Erickson, the new park will be located on the way towards the Hiawatha statue on Suffolk Street. He explained that a 100'x100' lot had been cleared and graveled to accommodate the first phase (a 50'x100' slab) as well as the second phase (an additional 50'x100' slab) of the project.

He told the crowd of several dozen kids and a few adults that the goal is to try to raise additional funds to pay for park equipment. He explained that the City already has about $10,000 that they have earmarked for the park, and he told the audience that the Rotary Club donated another $10,000. He explained that any additional money generated through fund-raising will go directly towards new equipment for the park.

According to Erickson, the equipment that Ashland purchased for their skate park cost approximately $120,000. Erickson said the City is also trying to obtain some grant money, but he is unsure if they will be successful in that endeavor.

The City Manager explained to the crowd that main purpose of the meeting was to get some ideas from the kids that will be using the facility on how to best raise funds to pay for equipment.

The group came up with the following ideas to raise funds: (1) car wash at Lahti's; (2) spaghetti feed; (3) pancake feeds; (4) barbecues; (5) raffle off prizes; (6) business to business request for donations; (7) pledges taken for "skateboard-a-thon" competition; (8) corporate donations, equipment manufactures, skateboard manufacturers, clothing, etc.; (9) door-to-door catalog gift sales; (10) benefit dances and concerts; (11) street demo; (12) 50-50 raffle; (13) garbage clean-up day sale - brats & pop; (14) city-wide garage sale events; (15) adopt roadway sections for the spring clean-up; (16) skate park camp; (17) can-a-thon; (18) Wal-Mart matching grants; (19) skate demo & fund-raiser at Wal-Mart parking lot; (20) Civic Center - "battle of the bands;" (21) tee-shirt sales; (22) skateboard dunk pond; (23) collection cans; (24) magazine sales; and (25) a money booth.

Two former Ashland residents told the group that Ashland's park took over ten years to become a reality, one of them said it began in 1991. When asked if Brettings had anything to do with developing the park, one of the young men said they hadn't – in fact, there were opposed to it.

One of the audience members suggested that business to business requests for donations don't always have to be cash donations – building supplies and other materials can be donated to build some of the equipment.

One of the skateboarders questioned the liability risks of hand-made equipment. Steve Frank pointed out that there is a big difference between homemade equipment that people bring to the park and equipment that is build to exacting standards by a group.

A women in the audience offered her assistance. She represents a company that sells catalog candles and gifts and she offered to provide sales kids for the group to make 30% profit on their sales.

This reporter suggested moving the park to the Civic Center. George Goerig was the first person to suggest the idea. During the summer months the Center sits virtually empty. The Center could sell beverages, snacks and food to those that use the park. That would help the Civic Center's bottom line. The skate-park would be supervised. Being indoors makes the park, in some ways, more accessible. There would be extended hours every day, and extended days every year. When it's raining or too hot to skateboard outside, it will always be dry and cool in the Civic Center. When the weather gets a little on the cool side or as the snow starts melting in the spring, kids can be at the center skating. Special events, such as competitions could be hosted at the Center in an effort to raise addition funds for both the skate park and the Civic Center. Tournaments and competitive events could bring a lot of people and money to the area. All one needs to do is to check how big area youth hockey tournaments draw people from all over. There were mixed feelings about having an indoor skate park.

Scott Erickson suggested having a skate demo at the Ironwood Festival. He said he would make contact with Chris Bergquist and the Festival Committee to make arrangements.

George Goerig addressed the crowd and expressed the importance of forming a formal group or club. He told the audience that they need to organize in order to have any credibility and to be effective in their efforts. Several members of the audience gave Mr. Goerig their contact information.

Steve Frank asked Scott Erickson how much money they have already gathered for the project. Erickson told Frank that $22,000 has already been raised. Frank said it is important to let people know that they won't be the first or the only ones donating. It's important to keep a list and a running total of the funds raised to date so that people feel comfortable donating.

Editor's Note: If you have an idea that might help raise funds for the new skate park, or if you would like to donate to the new skate park, please contact: Scott Erickson, Ironwood City Manager, 213 South Marquette Street, Memorial Building, Ironwood, Michgan 49938. Phone: (906) 932-5050. Make checks payable to the "City of Ironwood," but place the words "skate park" on the memo-line.

Jim Albert