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Local kids look to tackle obstacles

By Christian Ashlar

Press Reporter

Riding around Martin on a BMX bicycle can, according to four young boys, get pretty boring. Morgan Scherfel, one of four bored youngsters, decided to do something about this. His friends, Aiden Long, 12 years old; Chris Presepio, 13; and Memphis Riggs, 12, went along with him.

Scherfel had the idea of going right to the source. One afternoon he and his friends rode their bikes to 109 University St., walked into Martin City Hall and asked to see Martin Mayor Randy Brundige. “We didn’t know that our friend was going to bring us to the mayor,” Presepio stated. A few minutes later, Scherfel presented Brundige with his idea for alleviating boredom for children in Martin — a skate park.

The concept of a skate park is not a new one. The first skate park opened in 1965 in Tucson, Arizona. It consisted of a number of concrete ramps made for riding and jumping bicycles and skateboards. Another such park was opened in California March 3, 1976. This park hosted the World Skateboard Championships the same year. These parks contain various ramps, dips, purposeful obstacles that can be jumped, and rails to “grind” on. For those not in the know, Presepio explains the term. “When you’re bunny-hopping, your pegs can rub against the metal, and you get, like, a grinding sound,” the teenager.

This is, according to the average skate park enthusiast, a must-have.

Scherfel and his friends thought their idea through and came up with a loose concept of what their park would look like. They even have a site in mind, the old Rural King location on Weldon Drive. It has plenty of open space and could accommodate all of the ramps, obstacles, dips, and ever-important rails. Of course, this would not be the actual site, but it is a good indication of the scope the boys are imagining. Their expectations are realistic and they understand the need for things like zoning, obtaining permits, and the question of insurance for the park’s attendees. Although they do not have the answers, they do have the enthusiasm to spur on those who do.

Parents of Scherfel, Long, Presepio and Riggs are prepared to do what is necessary to support their children’s idea. This would include fundraising to purchase land, pay for permits and equipment, and find a way to make the skate park a reality.

They, like the boys, understand the other aspects of this endeavor. They cite the Splash Pad downtown as being a place for the toddlers and younger children to go. The Virginia Weldon Park even has areas for older children to play. There is nowhere, however, for the pre-teen, bicycle enthusiasts to go and just have fun. They are limited by the streets of Martin and the steps of the UT Martin campus.

Aside from being, as Riggs states, “A place to go for us to have more fun,” the skate park would be a sort of haven. It would provide a safe, central location for pre-teen and teen young people to congregate. In an ironic illustration of this, at the time of the interview with the other boys, Scherfel was recovering from being struck by a car while riding his bicycle across Summer Street.

What began in the mayor’s office must end there, as well. All four boys are anxious about the answer to their inquiry, whether or not Martin will follow Union City’s example and have its own skate park.

1 Comment

  1. Susan Reid on November 15, 2019 at 1:46 am

    Good work guys. Hope you get your skate park soon!