Local skatepark to be 'our best ever,' builder claims
Facility to put Arlington on skateboarding map, says expert
Steve Stav
The Arlington Times

(Click on image to enlarge) Skateboarder Chris Raezer, 42, kneels before an assortment of specialty skateboards that he often keeps in the trunk of his car. He said the board at far left will be the one he plans to ride in the new Arlington skatepark. STEVE STAV The Arlington Times

ARLINGTON Arlington is regionally known for its go-kart track, and nationally recognized for it's annual air show. In a couple of months, the city will begin garnering national attention for yet another form of recreation: skateboarding.

Weather permitting, a top-of-the-line, world-class skatepark will be finished in January. Located in the middle of Arlington, at the northwest corner of Evans Field at 59th Avenue, the facility will not only attract local skateboarders, but enthusiasts from across the country.

So say the park's designers, West Seattle-based Grindline, a full-service skatepark design and construction firm whose concrete creations can be found all over the Northwest and the rest of the country.

(Click on image to enlarge) Veteran skateboarder Chris Raezer stands in the framework of what will be a "full pipe," the first of its kind in Washington state. While no one is expected to complete a full loop inside the pill-shaped, 17-foot-in-diameter pipe, it is theoretically possible to do so, its designers said. STEVE STAV The Arlington Times

"Honestly, I think the Arlington skatepark is going to be the best one we've built to date," said Grindline co-owner Chris Hildebrand "Not only do you have the bowl design, there will be a great 'street course' next to it."

Hildebrand, a skateboard fanatic with a background in construction management, was referring to the 8,000-square-foot facility's plunging, sweeping series of concave "bowls" that flow into a surface-level area with rails, benches and other features that skateboards can leap onto and skim across.

(Click on image to enlarge) Arlington Capital Projects Manager Paul Ellis and daughter Brittany, left, join local skateboarder and Parks and Recreation Commission member Chris Raezer and Councilwoman Marilyn Oertle in the bottom of the new skatepark's unfinished "bowl." The 8,000 square foot facility is scheduled to open in January 2005. STEVE STAV The Arlington Times

"The idea was to replicate an 'urban village' feel, like you have at Westlake Center in Seattle," Hildebrand said. "There will be some black granite and other aesthetic features that will really set it apart."

A local skateboard veteran agrees with Hildebrand's assessment.

"The beauty of this park is that it's designed for all skill levels, from beginners to a very high level of difficulty," said Parks and Recreation Commission member Chris Raezer, one of the early proponents of the project.

"If you build a beginner-level skatepark, people will outgrow it pretty quick," he added. "This will keep challenging people."

The skatepark also features a 12-foot-deep main bowl and the first full pipe 17 feet in diameter to be constructed in Washington State.

Raezer began suggesting a skatepark in Arlington about three years ago, he said, and soon found an ally in Councilwoman Marilyn Oertle when she became the Council's Parks czar.

"I don't think we could have done this without him" Oertle said of Raezer's efforts and expertise. Oertle, a life-long fitness buff and grandmother who owns her own skateboard, said she seized the concept of a skatepark and didn't let go.

"This facility will not only give kids a place to skate, it will bring people of all ages together, doing something very healthy," she said.

Raezer agrees that the skatepark will provide plenty of exercise for those who try it out.

"Skateboarding is a very strenous workout," he said. "After quitting smoking, it's the best thing that I've done for my health."

The 42-year-old grocery store manager, father and husband is one of thousands of Northwest adults who participate in the sport.

"I began skateboarding in 1975," Raezer said. "I dropped out of it for a long time and then began skateboarding again about four years ago."

"When I began doing research on the sport," Capital Projects Manager Paul Ellis said, "the biggest surprise I got is finding out how many adults are into skateboarding."

When Ellis began work on the project over a year ago, he was faced with a tight budget and many choices to make. At one point, the city was leaning toward a cheaper, surface-level design, using modular components.

That idea was soon nixed.

"The first person I talked to [about a skatepark] was Chris," Ellis recalled. "He told me, 'If it's not going to be a good one, it's not worth building.' Every skateboarder I've talked to since then has said the same thing. And Grindline is the best there is."

"When it comes to Grindline, price doesn't reflect quality," Raezer said. "Marysville's skatepark, built by another company, cost $388,000, and Arlington's will be so much better and it cost less.

"One thing that many people overlook is that this skatepark will be good for decades, with no real maintenance," Hildebrand offered. "Sure, it costs a few thousand dollars, but how much does it cost to maintain a ballpark every year?"

Hildebrand said the Northwest leads the nation in number of skateparks per capita. His company has built or designed 14 skateparks this year alone; Hildebrand says more and more municipalities across the country are embracing the concept of a dedicated facility for the sport.

"I think it's something that someone, or a group of people, have to have a feeling of ownership about," he said. "Skateparks need a city leader who is just willing to take a few risks and just do it."

Hildebrand characterized Ellis as "really motivated, a great person to work with." He also had high praise for the city and its leader, Mayor Margaret Larson. "I met her when she signed the contract, and she's something else she seemed very excited about it," the builder said. "The city of Arlington has been one of the best municipalities that we've dealt with so far I'm not kidding."

Hildebrand and Raezer each predicted the Arlington skatepark's wide appeal will result in less criminal activity and other incidents at the site.

"Any skatepark is going to be a teenage hangout, that's just the reality of it," Hildebrand said. "But if the park appeals to a wide range of age groups, and a large number of people, period, the less likely there will be trouble there."

"Skateboarders tend to police themselves," Raezer explained. "They don't want trouble at their skatepark. When incidents occur [at skateparks], it usually involves kids that don't skate."

Ellis and Oertle have come up with a safety plan for the facility.

"There will be normal park rules enforced (no alcohol, etc.), and we won't be installing lights this will be used in the daytime only," Oertle said. "The city will have no liability, it's 'skate at your own risk.' We will be putting up a sign advising, but not requiring, helmets and padding."

Oertle hopes to persuade Community Transit to provide more service to the site.

"Heck, it would be great if we could get them to give kids a free ride to the Boys & Girls Club area," she added.

A grand opening gala is in the works; Raezer, who sometimes goes on "skateboarding vacations" touring skateparks in the West, said he and his fellow skateboarders can't wait.

"People will be coming from all over to try out this skatepark, they'll make this a stop on their tours," he said.

Does Raezer plan on attempting a complete, inverted loop inside the park's full pipe?

"No, that's insane," he replied.

But is such a feat possible?

Yes, said Hildebrand at least, theoretically.

"I heard someone did it in Oregon last year," he said. "If it was done here in Arlington, it would have historical significance. Then again, this is the sort of park where history can be made."