Time to roll for new Menlo skate park Time to roll for new Menlo skate park (June 22, 2005)

** June 28 grand opening kicks off week-long celebration of new Burgess Park upgrades.

By Rebecca Wallace

Almanac Staff Writer

Online messages are flying about a hot Menlo Park city issue. Oddly enough, they have nothing to do with cut-through traffic, armed robberies, or someone getting a parking ticket downtown.

Instead, some folks posting to skateboarding message boards are pretty keyed up about Tuesday, June 28, when the city will open its new skate park.

Even with the new concrete still covered by tarps, "the buzz is getting around," said Bob Roessler, city community services manager. "They've been waiting for this for a long time."

Young residents have indeed been lobbying the city for years for a new skate park to replace the temporary facility that once graced a parking lot near the Burgess Recreation Center. Now a 15,000-square-foot concrete moonscape of deep bowls, steep ramps and rails will soon be unveiled, designed by Santa Cruz architect and skateboard enthusiast Zach Wormhoudt.

The facility is at Burgess Park, on Alma Street near the baseball and soccer fields. Its grand opening, scheduled from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on June 28, will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, free pizza and sodas, and the chance to brag about being among the first to try out the new park. Helmets, elbow pads and knee pads are required to skate.
Burgess bash

The new facility is part of a sweeping $3.8 million renovation of Burgess Park, so it's fitting that its grand opening kicks off a week-long "Burgess Park Bash" held by the city.

Other work recently done at Burgess includes renovated baseball and soccer fields and new benches, drinking fountains and picnic tables.

The day after skaters take to the new park, Menlo Park starts its annual summer concert series. Usually the shows are all held in Fremont Park downtown, but the first one will be at Burgess in honor of the park's reopening.

On Wednesday, June 29, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., Latin pop group Orquesta d'Soul will play and ice cream sundaes and souvenir cups will also abound.

The next day, the city will showcase several of its recreation programs at the park, with demonstrations from gymnastics, ballroom and tap dancing, martial arts and the Show Biz Dance groups. Free popcorn and snow cones will be available.

Friday, July 1, is Picnic Day at Burgess, with free victuals including hot dogs, chips and soda, and four bounce houses for kids.

The events will end on Saturday, July 2, with skateboarders again taking central stage. Local and professional skaters will hit the new park to show off acrobatic feats. Other athletic events will include soccer clinics, a home-run derby, free-throw contests and the opening of the upgraded tennis courts.

For more information, call the community services department at 330-2200 or go to menlopark.org.

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