Community sports: Skateboard park a pipe dream again

By RYAN AMYS Chronicle Sports Writer

It's typically recognized as an organization dealing with youth's hands-on involvement in agriculture. But Bozeman had a different vision for 4-H.

Sean Sperry/Chronicle A skateboarder prepares to slide a rail at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds in 2006. In fact, Bozeman's branch of 4-H rolled over that farming stereotype by introducing the nation's first skateboarding program in 1996.

“It was some creative individuals that made the connection between skateboarding and 4-H,” program supervisor Joe Duval said. “It's really cool that Bozeman became the first place to do that. Now, there are countless skateboarding programs involved with 4-H throughout the country.”

Since Bozeman became the initial 4-H boarding community, the program has produced a skateboard curriculum book, now used in 46 states, Canada, Fiji, England and South Africa.

Yet, that same skateboarding program now finds itself wondering how to keep boarders skating.

Since the program began, the Gallatin Valley Fairgrounds has opened the door to the skaters. One night per week, up to 60 skateboarders would show up at the fairgrounds. They would unload a trailer filled with skating equipment, ride for two hours and pack up their gear until next week.

But, without warning, the luxury of having a place to skate has changed.

The fairgrounds are going through a complete renovation, and this has led to the skateboarders wondering where they're welcome.

“This is the biggest youth at risk program in the Gallatin Valley,” Todd Kesner, who is one of the program's founders, said. “As a whole, the kids need something positive to do. The fairgrounds remodeled the buildings and didn't want us in there and wanted us to get our trailer.”

The Montana snow season is here, making skateboarding outdoors next to impossible, so the 4-H program is looking for support from anyone in the community.

“This program is designed to provide kids a chance to skateboard during the winter months,” Duval explained. “Anyone living in the north pretty much has to hang up the skateboard for five or so months of the year. So we just need a place to go.”

This is Duval's fourth year supervising the program. He said he's always been a skater and wanted a chance to give back. He understands finding a place for a handful of adolescents to hang out is a tough sell.

But Duval and Kesner said they can't allow this project to go under.

“When it comes down to liability and everything people are afraid of, it's tough,” Kesner said.

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