Annandale skateboarders narrowly lost their bid last week for some used equipment that would have established a city skate park. But they still have city council backing for a site, and their leader says they may be able to raise enough cash by August to open the park. The Cokato City Council accepted a bid of $8,005 from the city of Zimmerman on Tuesday night, April 12, Annandale city administrator Mark Casey said. That left Annandale’s $8,000 bid just $5 short. The city of Watertown offered $7,000, the minimum that Cokato would consider. The Annandale City Council authorized the $8,000 bid at its Monday, April 4, meeting at the suggestion of Maggie Freiberg, leader of the group of young skateborders known as Youth After School Skaters. YASS is a subcommittee of the Annandale Area Community Team, a volunteer organization working for city improvements. The council agreed to use $5,000 of city money on top of $3,000 from YASS, which would have repaid the city if the bid had succeeded. Council members also agreed, if the equipment had been secured, to set up a skate park on a trial basis this summer at the hockey rink at Park Street and Pleasant Avenue. It’s owned by the Annandale School District, which had approved using it for a skate park. Freiberg said the bid outcome was disappointing, but she found some positive aspects. The council seemed to embrace the idea of the skate park being something that needs to be done, she said. “I think this kind of lights a fire under us, now that this did work out,” she said of the council action. “The kids were so excited the night after that council meeting (because) they had a victory.” Freiberg said the group will keep both options open regarding obtaining either new or used equipment. She estimated earlier that the skate park with new equipment would cost $30,000, while YASS has raised only about $4,400. But Freiberg said the cost would come down to about $16,000 since concrete work wouldn’t be needed at the hockey rink. Freiberg said she anticipates enough money will be raised by August to buy enough equipment to get the park started, though it wouldn’t be everything the skateboarders want or need. “They’re motivated,” she said. “It’s about setting a goal, and we’ve got goals.” Asking everybody The group may not need another financial helping hand from the city council, she said, “but we are going to ask just about everybody else” to support fundraising efforts. Mayor Marian “Sam” Harmoning said she felt badly about the bid results. The group has the council’s support for a park on the hockey rink site for the near future, according to Harmoning. “I just don’t see any changes coming down that would jeopardize their ability to have that rink,” she said. But the mayor said she doesn’t know what prospects the school district might have for the site in the long term. Freiberg requested that anyone who knows of any available skateboard equipment to call her at 274-5851.
