By
Maggie Burnett
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Liability issues keep skaters out of Ronstadt Transit Center, but designated skate area possible for the future
Although Downtown Saturday Night is marketed as a family event, one particular member of the family seems to have been forgotten - the skateboarder.
Sponsored by the Tucson Arts District Partnership, Downtown Saturday Night involves performance, music, art and food rolled into a monthly event created to add vitality to the downtown area.
Attempts, however, to incorporate a skating area into Downtown Saturday Night have been squelched due to strict city ordinances forbidding skateboarding in much of the downtown area, specifically at the Ronstadt Transit Center - which is considered to be an ideal location for skateboarders. Problems obtaining necessary insurance policies have further hindered any progress.
"There is no skating at Ronstadt, period," Kathy Wooldridge, program director for Skrappy's, a local youth club, said. "I applied to get a skating permit there and it's a definite, major no-no."
Wooldridge added that a major portion of allowing free-skates - where any skateboarder can utilize the venue - on city property involves issues of liability related to injuries.
"The city of Tucson won't let you just sign a waiver, that I know," Wooldridge said. "I usually don't have an open skate because my insurance only covers the spectators, not the skaters."
Skrappy's is in the process of obtaining this insurance - expected to be finalized by the end of this week.
Local skaters have suggested bringing ramps to Downtown Saturday Night since the success of a November 1999 skate event called "Skate Quest."
The function - sponsored by Skrappy's, Tucson Parks and Recreation and the Tucson Arts District Partnership - while not officially a part of Downtown Saturday Night, was launched at the corner of Pennington Street and Sixth Avenue, directly across from the Ronstadt Transit Center.
A follow-up "Skate Quest" is planned for next month - but again, not at the preferred bus depot location.
"This year on Oct. 28th, we'll have one on Fifth Avenue, but we want to do it on Ronstadt. It wouldn't take much at all," said L.J., owner of Shifty's skate shop, 222 E. Congress St. "The problem is there are 'no skateboarding' signs. They think if they allow skaters over there, then that'll give them an excuse to stay there. I think they should just let us do whatever over there, whatever can help Downtown Saturday Night. We'd have a bigger turnout than what's going on right now."
Downtown Saturday Night coordinators, however, say they are willing to accommodate skaters' desires for a designated skating area.
"As of now, we don't have a designated skate area, but if it's something the people want, then it's something we would look into," said Greg Loumeau, publicity coordinator for Downtown Saturday Night. "We want to provide whatever we can for whomever we can, so if there's a specific group that has a need, like skateboarders who come down here, I'd be all for it."
