A group of locals are using the power of punk to bring some much needed repairs to the Lunenburg Skate Park.
Rock for the Park will see a handful of local rock and punk bands take the stage to raise funds to go towards refurbishing the mini-ramp at Lunenburg Skate Park.
Josh Clarke, co-organizer of the event said hes always been into skateboarding and live shows, and felt they could blend the two to help the skating community and honour an old friend.
“A friend of ours, Paul Scott, was involved with building that ramp. He passed away in 2004,” he said.
“So I thought it would be cool to keep that ramp going in memory of Paul, and for the most part it is a good ramp. The kids like it.”
While the rest of the park is made of cement, the mini ramp is made from wood and covered in sheet metal, which has begun showing its age. This makes the ramp quite intimidating for young riders.
“We went straight to the kids and asked them what they want,” said Clarke.
“They said they would like if the ramp had a slightly longer landing, so its not so intimidating, and a nice flat rail. That’s not a tall order, and a few carpenter friends of mine said it shouldn’t be a problem.”
The pair hope the show turns out to be a success, creating an outlet for them to hold more shows in the future to continue raising funds for the park.
Co-Organizer Julia Mantelli said the repairs are necessary as the skate park is an important facility for kids interested in non-traditional sports.
“You know not every kid wants to play hockey or join organized sports,” she said.
“It’s good for those kids who don’t want to do what everyone else does at school, but have an interest in sports. Its a great place for them to spend some time in the summer instead of potentially going out and getting into trouble.”
Another part of their goal is to have the ramp ready by August so they can hold a skate jam – a competition – similar to one they held last year, which was a huge hit among local skaters.
Rock for the park has garnered the attention of six local acts, The Green Reflectors, MML, Black Matilda, After Us, A Sense of Solace, and Dirt Stache, as well as a sponsorship from Homegrown Skateboard.
The all-ages show kicks off Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Lunenburg Legion. Doors open at 7:30 pm, and the show stars at 8 pm.
