Grant Helps Park Plan Skate Along

Thu., Oct. 7, 1999

By Marny Lombard marnyl@spokesman.com (509) 927-2166

A fledgling campaign to build a skateboard park at Mirabeau Point has landed a $10,000 grant from Ronald McDonald Charities.

“We are excited, overwhelmed and thankful,” said Peggy Estey, a teacher in East Valley High School’s alternative program.

Estey’s students have worked on their plans for a year and a half. They have an architect, a design and a commitment from the Chase Youth Commission to become their parent organization during fund-raising.

If the directors of YMCA of the Inland Northwest give their approval later this month, the skateboard park will have a site.

Although the park can be built in phases, construction of the entire park is estimated at $309,000. The grant money will go toward that total.

This fall, students are learning about effective fund-raising from Kent Adams of Adams and Associates.

They plan to speak at a Spokane Valley Rotary Club meeting and make other community contacts.

Students also hope to bring teens from other Spokane Valley high schools into the fund-raising campaign.

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