With its large amount of smooth, paved terrain, the University of Arizona campus is a popular venue for local skaters, but with that popularity comes a price.

Alan Lee, insurance officer for the Department of Risk Management and Safety, estimated that $10,000 in damages, repairs and general upkeep can be attributed to skateboarding and in-line skating.

Small, damaged lights on the handrails near the Center for Creative Photography are a good example of how skateboarding has affected campus structures. After the handrails were installed about five years ago, it took less than three weeks before they were completely destroyed by what appeared to be skaters performing tricks on them, said Herbert Wagner Jr., assistant director of Risk Management and Safety.

Other damage like loose handrails, chipped sidewalks and benches and stripped paint indicate typical skateboarding use, Lee said.

A reason why the damage continues is that no public skating facilities exist in Tucson and the UA is a public place, Wagner said. And with all the sidewalks and limited vehicular traffic on campus, the environment is good for skating, he said.

Skaters agreed.

"The UA is a real smooth area, and it has a lot of concrete and steps," said Theo Giordano, 19, a former UA student who has been skating on campus for the past three years.

The official policy on non-motorized devices as set by the Department of Parking and Transportation states: "Roller skating, rollerblading and skateboarding are permitted on sidewalks and in any area not prohibited by signs and/or regulations." The policy also states: "Hot Dogging (as defined by Webster's Dictionary: 'to do acrobatic stunts') using roller skates, rollerblades and skateboards or any other non-motorized device is prohibited on campus at all times."

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