Skate the Burg Saturday

From staff reports
Published: June 18, 2008

Saturday’s the day to Skate the Burg.

Lynchburg’s downtown skateboard park, Rotary Centennial Riverfront Skatepark, and two churches with skateboard elements, Hyland Heights Baptist Church and Tree of Life Ministries, have teamed up to offer Lynchburg’s first Skate the Burg, a day of skateboarding at three different sites.

“You’ve never seen skateboarding travel Lynchburg in one day,” said Tabitha Abbott, director of operations at Amazement Square, which operates Riverfront Skatepark.

The events have been scheduled to coincide with National Skateboard Day, she said.

In years past before the city had any real skateboard facilities, she said some skateboarders figured that the national day meant, “‘I can skate anywhere’” — without consequences.
Turned out, they couldn’t. Some skated where they shouldn’t have and got in trouble, she said.

This year, Abbott said the skatepark wanted to offer safe alternatives and coordinated them with other skateboard sites. Hence, the involvement of the churches, which she said have built skateboard elements at their sites as part of their youth ministries. (An element might be a quarter-pipe, a kick ramp or a fun box.)

Events start at 1 p.m. at Tree of Life Ministries on Greenview Drive with a beginner’s contest as well as an open skate jam for all ages. Those activities run until 3:30 p.m. when skaters can take a shuttle to Hyland Heights on Wards Road.

There, skaters can participate in an intermediate skate contest or a free skate jam. There will be food and music, with events continuing until 6:30 p.m. when shuttles will head to the skatepark.
There, an advanced contest will be held, along with an awards ceremony, a skate jam and music. The day’s events will conclude at 10 p.m.

Tickets, which go for $15 apiece, will cover entry to all three facilities, shuttle transportation and a meal ticket. Plus, skaters will get a T-shirt that says, “I Skated the Burg. 6.1.08”