Skate Park Has New Look For New Season

The Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department has unveiled its 1999 plans for the Mantis Skate Park facility in Boggs Industrial Park.

According to Andy McCleary, parks activities director, the skate park will be sporting a new look when it opens April 24.

"We'll be constructing a new half-pipe that will be ready for this year," he said. " It'll be a new, large addition to the park."

The half-tube will be 32 feet long and 32 feet wide, with a 24-foot section that is 4 feet tall and an 8-foot section that will be 6 feet tall, according to McCleary.

"It'll resemble a large, open-ended swimming pool," he said.

All skate park patrons will be required to register with the park office, so insurance can be obtained through the Boy Scouts of America. Preregistration will be conducted at the park office between March 15 and April 23.

The registration fee is $10 for the entire season. The daily skating session fee is $2.

McCleary said the $2 fee is probably the most reasonable in the state, and enhances the popularity of the skate park.

"The $2 fee is very reasonable from those seen around the state," he said. "Most of the others are private and charge between $10 to $20 per session."

McCleary said he expects the number of skate park members to continue to grow this year, with skating enthusiasts from around Kosciusko County to use the facility more.

"We had close to 200 members last year, which was almost double from the previous year," he said. "I hope we'd see some participation from the other towns and see that number double again this year."

The park will be open every weekend through October. Gates open at noon each Saturday and Sunday. McCleary added that the skate park will also be open the first week of April, during spring break at Warsaw Community Schools. The times will be announced at a later date.

McCleary said he plans to have five special competitions through the season, with one honoring John Droke, a skate park member who was killed in a Feb. 12 automobile accident. That contest date is May 29.

Other contests will be hosted on July 24, Aug. 21, and Sept. 19. The season will end Oct. 30 with a "Closing Bash."