EUGENE, Ore.--During the summer months, it's no question that skateparks all across town are packed. During the winter season, the activity though is often sidelined because of the rain. If there's one thing all skateparks in town have in common, it's that non of them are covered, which means they get flooded with rain.
But a group of skateboarders in town are pushing to gather the necessary funding for a new park, so they're not left out in the rain. While the pavement is drier than a bone right now, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone in the winter months learning and pulling off moves.
"When it rains the majority of the time of the year, it makes it difficult to keep that continuity," David Villalobos from SK8 Eugene.
Continuity that is crucial for skateboarders who work day in and day out trying to propel themselves in their chosen sport, but often gets sidelined when the wet season in Eugene starts.
"Either you destroy your gear or you're skating in spots you're not suppose to and it's quite difficult more in this community," said Villalobos.
Which many skateboarders say should be far from difficult. They say the fact that every park in town isn't covered doesn't make sense, given the state's rich history in the sport.
"Eugene is unique in that we're in Oregon, which is considered kind of the mecca of skateboarding and skateparks and we lack a serious skatepark," said skateboarder Deireck Ritter.
That could soon change. The plan is to build a brand new skate park under Washington Jefferson bridge. It'll be covered from the rain, but that also costs money.
"The way that the store is actively involved in raising money is buy selling the skateboards with the skate Eugene logo, the t-shirts like the one I'm wearing, and then the bracelets," said Board Sports' Jonathan Faulkner.
And they're not just selling the Skate Eugene items here locally. This weekend supporters of the park are heading up to the nationally recognized Dew tour in Portland to make their mark. All in the hopes of gaining support to build something that they say Eugene needs.
"The community as a whole could benefit from a little bit of revitalization down in that area of town currently that area is being under used," said Faulkner.
The folks involved with the Skate Eugene project will be selling the shirts, boards and bracelets this weekend up in Portland at the Dew tour. But if you can't make it up there, they say skate shops like Board Sports will continue to carry the merchandise.
