Alaska Skateboarders Finally Have a Place of Their Own

It has taken a long time, but the skateboarders of Kodiak, Alaska finally have a place of their own. For several months the group used the lot across from Ardingers’ owned by Norman Sutliff, but they now have an area just for them in the Baranof Park expansion.

“I was always seeing guys being run out of downtown,” Sutliff said. “I always thought it was a nice sport and was amazed at what those kids could do.”

Sutliff decided that the skateboarders needed some place they could go to while they waited for the Baranof project to be completed.

“I’m for anything that keeps the younger kids out of trouble,” Sutliff said. “That’s the important thing.”

The skateboarders and BMX riders who have made the lot their new home are thankful for Sutliff’s support.

“Everyone thinks he’s really cool, letting us use his lot,” Patrick Rauwolf said.

“Norman is great,” Ty Anderson said. “It’s surprising when you meet people that are really nice like him and are not prejudging us.”

While the skateboarders enjoy running the ramps and sliding across the rails at Sutliff’s lot, they are also looking forward to their new home at Baranof Park.

“The new skateboarding area will be on one of the tennis courts,” officials at the Parks and Recreation department said. “We are also purchasing the ramps and equipment for the area.”

The skateboarders are currently using homemade ramps and rails on Sutliff’s lot.

The cost of the new equipment was divided among the city, borough and the parent group SK8 Board. The borough and SK8 Board each paid $3,725 and the city paid $7,500 for a total of $15,000.

SK8 Board has pushed for an area in the redevelopment of Baranof Park since the first advisory board meeting on the subject.

“The reason we organized was to help break down the negative image the skateboarders have,” SK8 Board co-founder Eileen Probasco said. “So, we pushed for the guys to have their own place in town as opposed to being downtown or out at Safeway.”

SK8 Board initially dealt with the same frustrations that the skateboarders faced whenever they approached the city about a park.

However, the group worked to get the kids involved with the community rather than staying on the outside.

“We had guys help with the spring cleanup, organized fundraisers and put on a demonstration at the May Fitness Extravaganza,” Probasco said. “It has all helped.”

City Manager Bill Jones was happy to back the idea of a skate park. The City Council eventually decided to accept 50 percent of the costs for the equipment.

” If this works, the city will offer to purchase additional equipment,” Jones said. “We are optimistic about the project.”

The skateboarders are just happy that there is something happening finally.

“In seventh grade a group of my friends and I started a petition to get an area for skateboarding,” Anderson said. “We got a lot of signatures, but nothing every happened.”

Before Sutliff’s lot and the futures spot in Baranof Park, skateboarders went wherever they could get the best rides. That usually meant going downtown to the mall.

“We would skate the square, the triple stairs by the bank,” Anderson said. “We also liked the alleyway by Ardingers’ when there weren’t that many people.”

Most skateboarders have been approached by police for being in the mall at one point or another. Some have even had their boards taken away.

“I think it might have something to do with the noise of our wheels,” Anderson said.

Anderson also admits that sometimes some damage is done when they are doing tricks using things like benches and railings.

“Most of us don’t go out planning on damaging stuff,” he said. “When we do, we move on.”

With the community finally reaching out to them, the skateboarders are starting to feel better about the community.

“Everyone seems more respectful towards the community now,” Anderson said. “They’re meeting us half way, and so we need to do the same thing.”