How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
CLEARLAKE – Help keep Clearlake Skate Park open while enjoying live music and a barbecue lunch at the third annual Andy Day at the Andy Johnson Memorial Skate Park Saturday.
The event will be held from noon to 6 p.m. at 14077 Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake.
In addition to lunch there will be t-shirts and a raffle drawing.
The park, open to both skateboards and BMX bikes, was closed for repairs due to broken and cracked surface panels, specifically a big hole in one of the ramps, said Ken Savin, a member of the Clearlake Skate Park Committee.
“The city has been good about using the materials that were purchased in the summer of 2008 by a grant from the Redbud Health Care District,” said Savin.
However, those parts were used up and, due to liability concerns, the park had to be closed until funds could be secured for new material to do repairs, Savin explained.
Savin said he and some of the other skate park committee members put together another grant proposal to Redbud Health Care District to receive funds for repairs.
Last November the Redbud Health Care District responded to the grant proposal with another $3,500, Savin reported. Aside from ramp repairs, that donation also helped purchase helmets for kids who use the park.
The park was reopened Feb. 24, Savin said.
Repairs have been, and will most likely continue to be, ongoing – especially since the riding surface is not concrete but Skatelite, he said.
Skatelite is the industry standard used for ramps at the XGames and Dew Action Tour, Savin said. It is expensive, running around $200 or so a sheet, so the group only orders it when we can get a larger order to help reduce the price by quantity.
Pouring concrete ramps and walls would be the ideal solution for the park, as concrete requires much less maintenance, Savin explained.
“We hope to maybe raise some money to make some real changes or improvements to the park, but that is far down the road, I think,” said Savin.
He said the city of Ukiah is in the process of beginning a cement park. They have been raising money for the last 20 years, with the cost projected to be over $1 million.
Other options for Clearlake might include an indoor location to reduce the impact of the weather and elements on the ramps. Savin said that would require money to purchase or rent, or someone willing to donate property.
The Andy Johnson Memorial Skate Park was named after young skateboarder and BMX rider, Andy Johnson, who died in a car crash at the young age of 18 in 2006, as Lake County News has reported.
Savin said then that there used to be animosity between skateboarders and BMX riders, but Johnson – who participated in both sports – helped those two groups to unite.
Pictures of the park along with short descriptions are available at www.concretedisciples.com and www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM7FKV_Andy_Johnson_Memorial_Skatepark_Clearlake_CA.
E-mail Tera deVroede at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf .
