VZN
December 17th, 2007, 12:23 AM
I don't know exactly where to put this topic since it isn't considered "big" news, but its very newsworthy nonetheless:
http://www.thecomptonbulletin.com/news05_120507/index.html
Skateboarders citywide should be on notice that the up and coming Compton skate park is that much closer to becoming a reality.
The city-sponsored project slated for Wilson Park received a boon last Tuesday when the Tony Hawk Foundation presented the Council with a check for $60,5000 to help cover costs.
The funds were raised during the organization’s annual fundraiser, Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground Stand Up for Skateparks Benefit, according to Executive Director Miki Vickovich.
The annual event, held at billionaire Ron Burkle’s Beverly Hills mansion for the past three years, raises funds for the foundation, which then issues grants to cities and organizations building skate parks for youth in urban and low-income areas.
But the city’s efforts and Compton’s scores of eager skateboarding youth, according to Vickovich, so captivated the organization and Tony Hawk himself that a segment of the event was set aside just for the Hub City. It was the first time the organization has ever focused on a single project during the fundraiser.
“A portion of the event was specifically for Compton. That immediately preceded the live auction,” Vickovich told The Bulletin. “We appealed to the guests to donate what they could” for the Wilson Skate Park.
Hawk said they literally asked the star-studded sea of guests to step up to the plate and pledge a donation amount.
“We just asked, ‘Who wants to raise their hand and donate money?’,” he explained. The entire sum was secured this way.
In attendance at that Oct. 6 event were city and elected officials as well as a handful of young Compton skateboarders, who, after rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in professional skateboarding, spoke to those in attendance about their dreams to have a safe place to skateboard here.
“All of the (Compton) kids who came to the foundation — their letters of thanks were absolutely the most thankful we’ve ever had,” Hawk added.
The Parks and Recreation Department first became involved with the foundation when it applied for and received a $10,000 grant last year. As part of the grant’s terms, the foundation has some oversight in the park’s development and keeps up with each new park as it’s developed.
“We do follow ups and stay in touch,” Vickovich said. “With Compton, we were so impressed with the fundraising that had been conducted already and the money allocated, and the effort to work with the community. We had this nice picture painted of an entire community coming together” to bring the project to fruition.
Hawk agrees.
“The Compton project absolutely represents the type of project we want to support,” he said.
“For a lot of reasons, Compton was the most obvious candidate” to receive special attention, Vickovich said.
With the donation, the city has received a total of $70,500 from the foundation. Added to the $150,000 the city last January set aside for the park out of leftover Housing and Urban Development funds, about $220,500 is available.
But according to Vickovich, the city still has a ways to go. The average skate park costs between $300,000 and $500,000.
Parks and Recreation Director Sheila Fenderson did not return a call for comment as to when the city plans to begin building the park or what the overall projected cost is.
Hawk is a world-renowned professional skateboarder from California who was the first to perform many dangerous skateboarding tricks.
The foundation to date has assisted in building 250 skate parks nationwide.
“I started this foundation because I saw a real disconnect in terms of where skate parks were being built and where they were truly needed, and they are needed in areas where there are more kids at-risk,” Hawk said.
This is definitely some good news. I gotta give props to Tony Hawk for doing something like this, because this'll give a lot of the kids living in Compton and the surrounding cities to put more of their energy into something positive besides gangbanging.
http://www.thecomptonbulletin.com/news05_120507/index.html
Skateboarders citywide should be on notice that the up and coming Compton skate park is that much closer to becoming a reality.
The city-sponsored project slated for Wilson Park received a boon last Tuesday when the Tony Hawk Foundation presented the Council with a check for $60,5000 to help cover costs.
The funds were raised during the organization’s annual fundraiser, Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground Stand Up for Skateparks Benefit, according to Executive Director Miki Vickovich.
The annual event, held at billionaire Ron Burkle’s Beverly Hills mansion for the past three years, raises funds for the foundation, which then issues grants to cities and organizations building skate parks for youth in urban and low-income areas.
But the city’s efforts and Compton’s scores of eager skateboarding youth, according to Vickovich, so captivated the organization and Tony Hawk himself that a segment of the event was set aside just for the Hub City. It was the first time the organization has ever focused on a single project during the fundraiser.
“A portion of the event was specifically for Compton. That immediately preceded the live auction,” Vickovich told The Bulletin. “We appealed to the guests to donate what they could” for the Wilson Skate Park.
Hawk said they literally asked the star-studded sea of guests to step up to the plate and pledge a donation amount.
“We just asked, ‘Who wants to raise their hand and donate money?’,” he explained. The entire sum was secured this way.
In attendance at that Oct. 6 event were city and elected officials as well as a handful of young Compton skateboarders, who, after rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in professional skateboarding, spoke to those in attendance about their dreams to have a safe place to skateboard here.
“All of the (Compton) kids who came to the foundation — their letters of thanks were absolutely the most thankful we’ve ever had,” Hawk added.
The Parks and Recreation Department first became involved with the foundation when it applied for and received a $10,000 grant last year. As part of the grant’s terms, the foundation has some oversight in the park’s development and keeps up with each new park as it’s developed.
“We do follow ups and stay in touch,” Vickovich said. “With Compton, we were so impressed with the fundraising that had been conducted already and the money allocated, and the effort to work with the community. We had this nice picture painted of an entire community coming together” to bring the project to fruition.
Hawk agrees.
“The Compton project absolutely represents the type of project we want to support,” he said.
“For a lot of reasons, Compton was the most obvious candidate” to receive special attention, Vickovich said.
With the donation, the city has received a total of $70,500 from the foundation. Added to the $150,000 the city last January set aside for the park out of leftover Housing and Urban Development funds, about $220,500 is available.
But according to Vickovich, the city still has a ways to go. The average skate park costs between $300,000 and $500,000.
Parks and Recreation Director Sheila Fenderson did not return a call for comment as to when the city plans to begin building the park or what the overall projected cost is.
Hawk is a world-renowned professional skateboarder from California who was the first to perform many dangerous skateboarding tricks.
The foundation to date has assisted in building 250 skate parks nationwide.
“I started this foundation because I saw a real disconnect in terms of where skate parks were being built and where they were truly needed, and they are needed in areas where there are more kids at-risk,” Hawk said.
This is definitely some good news. I gotta give props to Tony Hawk for doing something like this, because this'll give a lot of the kids living in Compton and the surrounding cities to put more of their energy into something positive besides gangbanging.