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Ebensburg raising funds to get skate park rolling

EBENSBURG — Efforts are underway to provide a safe location for rollerblading and skateboarding enthusiasts.

Funds are being raised for a potential Ebensburg Skate Park, and with a large chunk of the costs not covered yet, officials are seeking community support.

“We’re working on getting this off the ground,” Recreation Director and Skate Park Committee Member Dirk Johnson said. “We really don’t have anything dedicated to the skating aspect in town, and we think this could be a really nice community center for kids.”

Johnson said plans have been proposed for a 5,000 square-foot skate park, with a prospective site chosen near the Ebensburg swimming pool.

Potential grants are being pursued through the Tony Hawk Foundation and other agencies, Johnson said, but the project is expected to be completed through public donations.

The project is anticipated to cost $225,000.

“We’re extremely excited about this, but it could take some time,” said Johnson, who believes it could take up to three years to raise enough funds. “Hopefully, it won’t take as long to raise the money.”

The project was spearheaded by Julianna Horvath, who helped form the Ebensburg Skate Park Committee. She said the idea for the project arose after she witnessed a near-miss involving a vehicle and a youth riding a skateboard.

“It’s a high risk not to have a skate park when there are so many in our community who skate,” Horvath said. “With the support for so many other wonderful amenities in Ebensburg, I am very optimistic that the community will also support a skate park.”

Horvath said a survey from students in the Central Cambria School District found that 165 students partake in skating activities, with the majority of them practicing their sport on the sidewalks or streets.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, irregular surfaces and vehicular traffic are the two most common reasons for injuries related to skateboards, scooters and trick bikes.

If the project is able to come to fruition, committee members said they believe it could eliminate a major safety hazard.

“At the very least, we will soon have a safe environment for them to practice their sport,” Horvath said.

Other committee members include Alyssa Locke, Justin Locke and Matt Kirsch.

Donations are being ac­­cepted at www.gofund.me/d5864066.

Mirror Staff Writer Calem Illig is at 814-946-7535.

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