Skate Ignatius Skate Park receives visitors and money

By B.L. Azure

Trevor Scott of St. Ignatius was awarded 1st place in the advanced division of the skateboard competition conducted by On Eagles Wings at Skate Ignatius Thursday. (Bruce Nerby photo)

ST. IGNATIUS — The little skate park that could is doing it. Last week Skate Ignatius Skate Park hosted a surprise visit by On Eagles Wings, an intertribal skate team that was in the area on a trip sponsored by the Salish Kootenai Housing Authority. And they were beneficiaries of a large grant that will be used to build Phase II of the Skate Ignatius Skate Park.

“My understanding is that the (On Eagles Wings) group was brought to the valley by (SKHA Director) Jason Adams,” said Kristie Nerby, Skate Ignatius Skate Park Project coordinator. “They found out about our skate park (and) they thought they would drop by. They held a skate competition for those lucky enough to be at the park, and awarded prizes.”

That bit of good news was short lived though with the announcement that the Skate Ignatius Skate Park Project received $45,000 from a matching funds grant from the Montana Skatepark Association.

“This is great news for us as we are working on funding Phase II of our park, which comes with a price tag of $263,000,” Nerby said. Phase II will add 10,000 square feet to the existing 7,000 square feet of Phase I which was completed last summer. “We are very grateful to be chosen by the Montana Skatepark Association as one of their first ever matching grant awards recipients.”

Nerby said the timely and under budget completion of Phase I of Skate Ignatius Skate Park demonstrated that the project organizers were capable of such endeavors that enhance youth recreation. That helped garner financial and in-kind support from area and out of area people, groups and organizations. Nerby also credited area media with helping get the word out to the public about the project and its subsequent popularity with skate boarders from out of the area.

Local skater Matt Pierre placed second in the advanced division for this 360-flip. (Bruce Nerby photo)

“We want to thank the Montana Skatepark Association for their diligent efforts in making the state of Montana a premier skating destination,” Nerby said. “Not only are (they) giving our kids, both in urban and rural settings, a chance to fully participate in the sport of skating, but in the case of the Skate Ignatius Skate Park, we believe that (they) are helping to save lives.”

Nerby said positive recreational outlets could occupy the time of youngsters who without them could have time on their hands that could potentially be filled with negative behavior as well as alcohol and drugs. The emphasis for establishing positive recreational and social outlets grew out of the series of alcohol related deaths of several young people on the Flathead Indian Reservation a few years back. A community group was formed in St. Ignatius with a mandate but no money to work on providing positive activities for area youth. The skate park was the first manifestation - in concrete - of that effort.

The St. Ignatius recreation group has also rehabilitated the blue softball/baseball field and there are plans for walking trails with fitness stations that link Elders, Taelman and Good Old Days parks. There are also goals for adding other features at the parks that provide amenities for social and family gatherings.

For more information, contact Kristie Nerby at 745-4888 or 546-5936.