Skateboarders get a place of their own

Durbin, WV – Last summer, on an evening in mid-June, a group of teenagers from Durbin, Frank and Bartow, came in out of the sunshine and gave up an evening of skateboarding – their favorite pastime – to give a presentation to the Parks and Recreation board of Pocahontas County.

They thought it was worthwhile, because they were trying to raise money to build their very own skate park at Widney Park in Frank.

Then-fourteen-year-old Frankie Naglic summed it up with the words, “We’re still a little nervous.”

Now, ten months later, after a successful campaign of fundraising, grantwriting, and public speaking, the same boy says the same thing.

But it’s less convincing now.

The contingent of teenagers and their parents tapped into community resources, and their work has paid off.

Tuesday evening, a half-dozen young skaters, ranging in age from elementary school through high school, were out at Widney Park trying out the new ramps.