Skateboarders Hop Fence to Use Town Park

The Town of Huntington's Skate Park was scheduled to open for the season on Monday, April 19 but the gates were locked up tight as late as Wednesday morning.

That did not prevent the park from being used, however, as many were able to hop over the approximately 12-foot-high chain-link fence. In just under an hour Tuesday afternoon, a dozen or so young men, and a couple of young ladies, easily scaled the fence and then zipped around the 9,200-square-foot area's grind boxes, wedges, rails spines, ramps, sub-boxes and quarter- and half-pipes.

One skater said that he had been told the park was under repair and that's why it didn't open on time. He also said that he and his friends had been hopping the fence all winter so the delayed official opening did not matter to them.
According to Town Public Information Officer, AJ Carter, the delayed opening was due to "pending completion of signs that needed to be posted" at the park. "Those signs were finished and posted today; the park opened shortly afterward," Carter said Thursday afternoon.

The park is open to both residents and non-residents. The annual fee for the member of a resident family is $40, with each additional family member being charged $30. The per-session fee for residents is $5. Non-residents are charged $80 annually and $10 for one session. All passes can be purchased at the Parks and Recreation office on the first floor in Town Hall.

Skate park users must sign a one-time waiver at the time of purchasing an annual pass or daily pass stating that they are aware there are risks and dangers and that they will not sue the Town of Huntington in the event of injury. For participants under the age of 18 years, a parent or legal guardian must sign the waiver in person.

Park rules state that all skaters must wear appropriate safety equipment, including ASNI- or SNELL-approved helmets and pads. When open, the park allows rollerblades, skateboards and BMX bikes.

The facility, constructed with funds from the town's Open Space and Park Improvement Bond Act, opened in 2004.