Skateboarders flocking to Anaconda's ‘Snake Pit'

By Vera Haffey of The Montana Standard - 06/27/2005

ANACONDA — It's Thursday morning at the Smelter City Skate Pit, and Ben Goodman Park is already swarming with skateboard enthusiasts from around the state, in-line skaters, kids on bikes and others just hanging out.

Sophia Mantz wielding a screw driver and tuning her well-used board, says the skate park gives young people a place to go and something to do.

"Kids come here every day, from 7 a.m. until 10 at night," Mantz said of the new attraction on Anaconda's east end. "It keeps you out of trouble; for me, it does." But children aren't the only ones attracted to the new, 4,800-square-foot facility.

There's also a contingency of diehard skate boarders n- most in their 30s — who say they drove here from Missoula, Bozeman and other places to enjoy what they consider to be one of the premiere skate parks in Montana.

Enthusiasts in that skater community make the rounds, taking in parks in Great Falls, Kalispell, Bozeman and now, Anaconda, they say.

The Bozeman group first came to Anaconda weeks ago because they were anxious for the park to open, and even pitched in to help workers from Dreamland Skateparks, of Lincoln City, Ore., the contractor that landed the bid, according to "Krowbar" Collins, 26.

"We came and tied re-bar with them one day," Collins said. "People were talking about this before it was built and done." It was the group's fourth trip to Anaconda since the park opened June 17 at 5 p.m.

Will they be back?

"Most definitely," said Elwood Bakken, 33, cuddling his toddler daughter Ocean, between trips through the park's smooth cement bowl.

Scott Henderson, also 33 and from Bozeman, a full-time student at MSU who's been skating to 25 years, agreed.

"If they build it, we will come, pretty much," he said. "We've already got it planned out, we're coming back Saturday and Monday. We're going to spend a lot of money here, too." "Everyone who skates in Bozeman is talking about this place," Henderson added. "We have a small park there, but it's nothing like this. This is great, because it's close. We used to go up to Great Falls, but it's a big commitment of time." Missoula filmmaker Ben Croft of 406 Productions was busy taping skating scenes Thursday morning. Croft, whose company produces outdoor programming, believes the park is a good economic development tool because it will attract visitors from around the state — especially since it is a quality park in a central location.

"It's good thing you guys got the right people to build it," Croft said of Dreamland Skateparks. "Dreamland and Guideline — those are the two that are just setting the industry standards for high quality parks." Melinda Riley, county planner and building official, credits Dreamland Skateparks for the success of the project, and for helping to make it a reality during this year's budget crisis by forfeiting a portion of their pay.

"The best thing about the project was they stayed within the budget, and that was critical because we didn't have another cent to spend," Riley said.

Landscaping will proceed as soon as donations of black dirt and sod are lined up, Riley said, and lights will also be installed. The park is open from 6 a.m. until midnight each day.

Donations are being accepted for two permanent signs that will list park rules.

The most important rules are about safety, she said — and those will be enforced.

"The number one rule is wear your helmet at all times," she said. "We can't express that enough." Reporter Vera Haffey may be reached via e-mail at vera.haffey@lee.net.

BREAKOUT QUOTE: ‘If they build it, we will come, pretty much. We've already got it planned out, we're coming back Saturday and Monday. We're going to spend a lot of money here, too.' — Scott Henderson, 33, a full-time student at MSU who's been skating 25 years.