Skaters Gear Up For June Fundraiser

By Dottie Evans

Newtown’s young people are organizing, with parents and professionals, to bring the dream of a town skate park to reality sometime in late summer or early fall.

They know it may not be as large or as complete a facility as many would like, but it will be a beginning and they are already full of ideas about what it might look like.

“We’re hoping to build ramps and rails, and stair steps,” said student Doug Calderone, whose family is a member of Newtown Skate Park Association.

His older brother Randy Calderone, who graduated from Newtown High School in 2001 and is now a student at the University of Hartford, was back home from college this past week and has joined the skateboarders in helping support a park in Newtown.

“He paved the way,” said the current Newtown High students, referring to Randy’s efforts three years ago to gain permission for the skaters to use the high school parking lot.

Doug Calderone and Sean O’Connell, another Newtown High student, also said they look forward to watching the younger skateboarders learn the sport and working with them.

“Some of those kids are really good,” Sean commented.

Asked about where they skate now, besides around town in parking lots and on the streets, the students said they often went to Bethel Skate Park, where there are lights for night skating. They said they did not enjoy skating on the cement at Ridgefield Skate Park.

“Lights are very important. Sometimes we don’t even start skating until 10 pm,” said Sean.

Most of all, they will try to stay involved in the planning of a Newtown skate facility at Fairfield Hills, even if it is only temporary and has to be moved at some point. Luckily, the equipment can be assembled on the spot and taken down for reassembly in another place if need be.

Something is better than nothing, they say, and it will be a basically better skate park if the kids are involved in the planning, from the beginning.

The First Step:

A Fundraiser

The first step in bringing this dream to reality will be a June 7 fundraiser now being organized.

The Newtown Skate Park Association (NSPA) and Newtown Youth Services (NYS) have been working with parent volunteers, community and school officials, students, and corporate sponsors to plan a townwide Tag Sale, Skate and Music Festival on Saturday, June 7, from 8 am to 8 pm, at Newtown High School.

The event will feature a professional skateboarding demonstration and tournament, minicarnival for kids, food, concessions, and a battle of the bands music festival. The event will be held rain or shine.

Under the direction of parent volunteer Ken Gottschalck and NYS Outreach Coordinator Matt Rosen, the event is the first in a series of fundraising events designed to raise awareness and generate funds for equipment and construction of a temporary skate park at Fairfield Hills later this summer.

All proceeds will benefit the proposed Newtown Skate Park and Newtown Youth Services programs. Donations from the community are currently being accepted for the tag sale, and items may be dropped off at Newtown High School after 3 pm Friday, June 6.

Anyone interested in volunteering or participating in the battle of the bands or skateboard tournament, or donating tag sale items, should contact Matt Rosen, NYS Outreach Coordinator, at 270-4334.

Meetings will be held Thursday evenings at Newtown Youth Services’ headquarters at 41-A Main Street (top floor of Newtown Congregational Church House, behind the general store).