Hang 10, hang out at new skate park
Smooth bowls, steep rails and sharp ledges are a skateboarder's paradise. Now that the Dave Olseth Memorial Skatepark in Whitefish is open, heaven is just a few blocks away for local boarders and bladers. With Big Mountain as the park's backdrop, there's no finer place in the Flathead to practice your ollies and inversions, grind a ledge or practice your street moves than in this 15,000-square-foot concrete oasis.
Pam Robinson of the Whitefish Skateboard Association wrote the Inter Lake recently to thank everyone for their time, effort, support and cash donations to help make the Dave Olseth Memorial Skatepark a reality.
Her enthusiasm largely is responsible for getting the skate-park idea to take seed back in 1996 when her three sons, now grown, were avid skateboarders. But it was the financial push provided by Dale and Nancy Olseth of Minnesota that really greased the wheels.
Their son, Dave Olseth, a skilled skateboarder, snowboarder and biker, moved to Whitefish when he was in his 20s. He was killed five years ago while mountain biking in Glacier National Park. Last year his parents heard about the proposed skateboard park and came forward with a large donation as a memorial to their son. That, coupled with the city of Whitefish's donation of the land behind the armory, and the project was well on its way. More money started coming in after that, says Robinson, who began seeing her longtime dream take shape.
The Whitefish Skateboard Association ultimately decided to name the park after the Olseth's son, designating it as a memorial park.
The park officially opened in November and reopened in February as soon as Robinson's kids could shovel the snow off it.
Robinson also thanked Dreamland Skateparks for the beautiful job it did with park construction, which began last fall. "We are very fortunate to have such a wonderful place to skateboard in Whitefish," she wrote. "We also want to thank the city of Whitefish for all of their time spent with Dreamland and the Whitefish Skateboard Association, helping to create the park."
The landscaping surrounding the park is scheduled to be completed in early June, making the park a great place to hang out and watch the action or picnic with friends or family.
"Whitefish is truly an amazing community. Thanks again for everyone's hard work in making the Dave Olseth Memorial Skatepark a reality," wrote Robinson, who also reminds everyone, "This is your skateboard park, so please treat it with respect."
Helmets are not required but are strongly recommended.
If you haven't stopped by the park, go check it out. You also can log on to www.skatewhitefish.com for some detailed photos and a video clip featuring two Whitefish native skateboarders, Sierra Fellers and Justin Fyle.
A grand-opening celebration is scheduled for Saturday, July 15. Robinson says the Olseths plan to be there. And the Texas band I-45, which has traveled to Whitefish every year since 1996 to play hip-hop and raise money for the park, also will be coming back - this time to play with the sound of skateboards buzzing in the background.