by Pamela Segura

Early this week, new funds were earmarked for a skating park inside Williamsbridge Oval Park following mobilization efforts by community groups.

The skating park has been in talks since at least April of this year, when members of Community Board 7, which represents the Norwood section of the Bronx, agreed to officially support the park. The need for a space to skate, however, stretches back to about 10 years. Other projects, including a dog run within the park, took precedence.

The coming skate park was announced at a press conference on July 23. Councilman Andrew Cohen, the legislator who set aside $750,000 in capital funds to build a designated area specifically for skateboarders, spoke at the conference. Barbara Stronzer, member of CB7, and Hector Aponte, Bronx Parks Commissioner, accompanied Cohen. Behind them, skaters of varying ages stood with their boards, cheering on the official announcement of the park.

“It would not have happened without the advocacy of the community,” said Cohen.

Aponte echoed this sentiment, expressing his delight at seeing the Bronx rally together. “

Cohen, flanked by skateboard enthusiasts, also credited members with Community Board 7, and Bronx Parks Commissioner Hector Aponte for putting the issue at the forefront.

“For the skaters,” Aponte quipped, “I thought I was a hotshot when I used to have my steel wheels and I used to jump from, like, here to there. What they [skaters] do is crazy and it takes a lot of athleticism.”

Stronzer in turn recounted her experience when she first learned about the need for a skate park. “Eight years ago a group of teenagers came to CB7…with petition requesting a skate park,” said Stronzer. “It was at a time when many projects [taking place] in this park. The skate park got sidetracked.”

She added that the community board would “stay on task” and see the skate park “through” in the next two years.

Richard Carrera is a skater who worked with Doug Condit, a park advocate with the Friends of Williamsbridge Park, to shed more light on the need for a designated skating space to the attention of the community board. He has skated for years and has always felt the need for a space.

“I usually just skated on local blocks,” said Carrera when asked his location for practicing new tricks and meeting with other skater friends.

“We [skaters] wouldn’t have anything to do,” added Carrera. “We just needed a place to skate and be together.”

Following the news conference, the skaters took several pictures and spoke to the Norwood News about what the ideal park should look like. One skater said that he wanted “new rails.” Others emphasized the value of a space, emphasizingthat a skate park will make learning new tricks easier. “Something that we could learn in a few months…can take us two years [without a skate park],” one skater said.

As of now, the exact date of the park construction is not yet set.