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Show .www.forumfortn ightly.com pring is strange in Salt Lake City. As soon as it seems like summer has finally arrived, it rains for a week straight. Then the lightning storms come. The sun comes back and it reaches almost 90 degrees. The ski resorts close. And it snows six feet overnight. Clearly, difficult be can a time for those trying to adjust spring their extreme sports seasonal dock. So when Mother Nature takes a break from playing games think about taking out the skateboard a little early this season. For all those new to Salt Lake City or for those who didnt know that people own skateboards in Utah, here is a short list of local skate parks worth checking out as winter comes to an end. All Utahs public skate parks are free and do not require pads. Pull out the boards, tune up the tracks, hit the parks, spring is coming Byron Hennen StafFWriter FAIRMONT SKATE PARK (SUGARHOUSE) ADDRESS: 900 E.2340S. HOURS: DUSK -- 1 1:00 P.M. (LIGHTED) Fairmont is only a mile from campus and is the perfect place for street and transition skaters alike. The bowls range from five to 10 feet tall and are not for the weak. Fairmont brings out a lot of local talent which can be intimidating to beginners, but the concrete bleachers are great for bystanders who would rather watch than participate. Fairmonts lights stay on until 11:00 p.m. but beware, the police are usually there to kick out stragglers. Local skate shop employee Mitch Seidel says, Fairmont is perfect for those living in Sugar House who want to squeeze in a quick skate session. Its the only park thats dose enough for Westminster students to skate to. JORDAN SKATEPARK (9TH AND9TH) ADDRESS: 1032 S.900W. HOURS: DAWN -- DUSK NO BICYCLES ALLOWED The 9th and 9th park is not Utahs most flattering skate park thanks to an akward layout and unsightly graffiti. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. Local skater and Westminster student, Ryan Gilway says, The parks dumsiness often forces me to be a little more creative. Its usually pretty crowded in the afternoon so try to be there before school lets out. Avoid Sundays, or else skaters can expect to be dodging children on scooters, rollerblades, tech decks, pogo sticks, and even heelies. Just four miles from campus, 9th and 9th is one of Utahs oldest parks and can be the perfect place for a before dass morning skate session. LONE PEAK SKATEPARK (SANDY) ADDRESS: 101 50 S. 700 E. HOURS: 9:00 A.M. (LIGHTED) - 9:00 P.M. Lone Peak is one of Utahs largest skate parks. It is well designed and has features for every level. Given its size Lone Peak is a great place to practice skating transitions without getting in anyones way. Local BMX rider, Beto Monroy says, Lone Peak has a great flow to it, not to mention its one of the few parks in SLC . that allow bikes. But try to get there early because Lone Peak has a Howevtendency to get crowded once school lets out. er Saturday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. are and their parents usually reserved for young children so dont bother getting out of bed. SOUTH JORDAN SKATE PARK ADDRESS: 10866 S. REDWOOD ROAD HOURS: 8:00 A.M. -- 10:00 P.M. (LIGHTED) NO BICYCLES ALLOWED Pool skaters look no further; South Jordan has the largest bowl in the valley. It has enormous walls, and is worth smooth transitions, pool coping, over-ve- rt the trip itself. Stairs, banks, handrails, euro gaps, manual pads, hips and ledges can all be found at the commonly called So-J- o park. Most features are geared towards advanced riders so its not the best place to bring the kids. ProfesRune Glifberg has made several apsional vert-skatpearances at South Jordan. er, SMITH FIELD SKATE PARK (DRAPER) ADDRESS: 200 E. 13400 S. HOURS: 9:00 A.M. -- DUSK in Utah is no easy task. Backyard skate ramps are prohibited in Salt Lake County (because of the so called, noise pollution) and all of the citys public parks are made of concrete. Although Smith Field Skate Park is still made of concrete, it has Finding a mini-pi- pe in the city. the best cement mini-pipDraper is perfect for riders of all ability levels. Theres plenty of space and its rarely crowded. Finding new lines has never been so easy. Although its a bit of a es drive (20 miles), Smith Field is a great place for the skater who would rather save his body lazy mini-pifor winter than break his ankles jumping a ten-staLocal skater Steven Roesch agrees, The transitions are super mellow, so its easy to ride. pe ir. PARK CITY SKATE PARK ADDRESS: 1250 N. SULLIVAN ROAD, PARK CITY, UTAH HOURS: 9:00 A.M. -- DUSK NO BICYCLES ALLOWED Driving 30 minutes just to visit the Park City Skate Park may sound a little ridiculous to most student skaters. But next time you find yourself heading to PC for something unrelated, dont forget to bring a skateboard. Seidel says, Its pretty heartbreaking to finally see Park City Skate Park and not have your board with you. I usually leave mine in my car, just in case. The PC Skate Park is well kept, smooth and spread out. The bowl section is so unique and placed so that the possibility of tricks are seemingly endless. But dont forget its at 8,000 feet of elevation, so stay hydrated. For all the same reasons the PC Skate Park can get a little hectic. And once school lets out the park turns into a madhouse, half of the kids wont even have skateboards. Regardless, this park is not to be overlooked. Save up some gas money and make it happen. , |