PLEASANT GROVE — While other cities in Utah Valley are in various stages of building and designing skateboard parks, Pleasant Grove has one up and running, thanks to private enterprise.
The Proving Grounds — with 32,000 square feet of indoor space and a number of challenging ramps and grinders — opened a month ago at 363 Industrial Drive, despite a delay caused by a one-time rental of the facilities to local Fight Club organizers.
"We're three guys from Philadelphia," said Scott Andrews, one of the owners. "We came out here snowboarding eight or nine years ago and every year since. We found there was absolutely no place for skaters to skate, so five years ago, we started talking about making one. Three years ago, we started saving.
"Now, $250,000 later, we're here."
The skate park is actually a warehouse with 20-foot ceilings and cinder-block walls, great backdrops for skaters who go up and beyond the edges of even the 15-foot ramps.
Andrews and his partners, Sonny Fleming and Chris Yorgalite, have custom-built ramps of wood and fiber board that offer a variety of jump and loft opportunities.
There's a special section for beginners where the ramps range between 1 and 3 feet high and kids can learn without fear of being run over.
In the main section, there's a six-sided pyramid that can be hit by a skater or biker from any direction, 6 six- to 15-feet transition ramps and curved metal-edged wall rides. There are long stretches of grinders that aren't easily ground down like steps in the outside world.
"This is designed to be a drop-in and ride, cruise-around facility," Andrews said. "We build everything here so they can destroy it, and we are constantly building new boards and ramps. We build. We learn. We modify. We build, skate, build. We don't want our skaters to get bored."
"I like it because of the way the ramps and stuff are set up," said Sean Garrett, a young customer from Sandy checking out the Proving Grounds for the first time. "You can go everywhere."
"These kids deserve a place to skate," Andrews said. "They're awesome kids."
The Proving Grounds is open Monday through Friday from 1 to 9 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., with Saturday mornings set aside for beginning skaters.
Bikers and skaters pay $6 for a half-day of skating or $8 for a full day. Lessons are available for $25 for 35 minutes of instruction.
Helmets and pads can be rented for $1.
"We insist on helmets for anybody under 18," Andrews said. "And we strongly recommend pads."
Riders must also sign a waiver of liability against the park, although the owners carry an additional million dollars' worth of insurance against injury.
Andrews, Yorgalite and Fleming are pumped about the park.
All three are skilled at in-line skating and boarding, with Yorgalite boasting a number of championships.
"I even got a ticket for $25 for riding on a sidewalk in Massachusetts from a cop on a bicycle on the sidewalk," Andrews said. "I really believe in having a place for these kids to go where they won't be in trouble."
Speaking of trouble, Pleasant Grove officials took their time deciding to allow the park after the "Fight Club" held a late-night boxing match in the warehouse. Andrews and his partners spent considerable energy persuading the City Council and the Planning Commission the skate park would add to the community rather than detract. They've also promised no more fights will be allowed.
Eventually, Andrews hopes to expand The Proving Grounds to the next building, where 6,000 square feet of space could be devoted just to beginning skaters.
A skating contest is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23, at 4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
"We'll have our five-man demonstration team performing, and people can really get a feel for what we can do here," Andrews said.
For more information, check the park's Web site at pgskatepark.homepage.com.
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