42
ON BOARD
KONA: A SKATEPARK
THAT WORKS
KOR
COMING EVENTS****
1982 WORLD CHALLENGE
"WINNER TAKE ALL"
$1,000 PRO vs. AM 12 PIPE CONTEST
PAMONA PIPE & POOL
JANUARY 3rd 1981
INFO: Peter Gonzoles 714-593-5990
John Sneed 714-624-2112
Kona Skatepark in Florida went out of
business approximately three years ago.
Eight months after closing, it was
purchased by Martin Ramos, a successful
businessman from Jacksonville, Florida.
After the purchase, Mr. Ramos dropped in
a new pool and built a half-pipe ramp,
which by today's standards has turned out
to be one of the finest constructed half-
pipes in the world. Of course, these new
attractions brought back the old skaters
and provided a breeding ground for new
ones.
Being the smart businessman he is,
Ramos did not stop there. He advertised
the park through different forums, built a
club house which included a full stocked
pro shop, a cafe with chairs, pool tables
and electronic games, held periodic pro
and amateur contests for the skaters, had
free barbecue cookouts with prizes and
even started the Kona newsletter to follow
up on all the park events.
He created an atmosphere that was fun
and exciting. An atmosphere that
encourages a skater's presence, skaters
are there because they want to be there.
He created an atmosphere that must
spread throughout all parks so as to create
and ensure a healthy, stable future for
skateparks throughout the world.
This summer marks the third summer
Kona has been in operation under Ramos
and business has grown each year. He
has successfully proven that a park can
survive and thrive under the proper
proven business methods. Hopefully
others will realize this and follow suit.
During a lengthy conversation with him
at the Kona Pro-Am, he talked about the
future of the sport, what positive steps
might be taken and what strategy he is
planning to implement. A strategy to
evolve the sport to newer and higher
levels.
His success with skateboarding so far
has been totally hot. If he can project that
same success into his other venturous
ideas about the sport, then look out and
get in gear....We're talking serious
business now son....Added note, reports
lately that Kona has been having 100
skater days...not bad mate!
Stacy Peralta
COMIC STRIP OF THE MONTH
SATURDAY
ACCRO
(SORRY
BOYS
WALN
HEY KID!
GET OUT OF
HERK
LOOK!
WAM
THIS IS
BMX TERRITORY
THIS IS A BAN SKATEPARK
YOU TWIT!
KILL
THAT
KID!!
RAMPS ON THE
PLUS SIDE
This past year we've seen the media
take a sudden total interest on the scene
of ramps: construction; how to build,
who's riding them, and a ramp as a
survival tactic. There are a few avenues
though that the media has not shed light
on.
The comparison between wood and
cement as shock absorbers is obviously
THE BIKERS
ANOTHER CYCLE DECINES TO HELF
I'LL GET HIM!
NOHER
apparent. When you fall on a wood ramp,
it tends to give and absorb much more
than concrete, which is definitely a plus
factor. Landing on concrete puts all the
pressure on the falling rider and his ability
to fall properly. Wood tends to bend and
flex taking pressure away from the impact
on the rider's body. So technically, it is
much safer to ride a ramp than a pool.
Ramps and pools are closely paralleled
when it comes to knee siding except for
one thing. Wood does not wear out your
skate and safety equipment as fast as
By Ted Alb, Riverdale, MD
OUR KILLER ON WELS TRES To
CRE THE SARE...
LOT TO
LEARN
ON BOARD
concrete, especially your wheels and
knee caps. Concrete tends to act as a
sand blaster to knee caps where wood is
much less abrasive. The same goes for
wheels when you are doing slide moves.
Wheels wear down much faster on
concrete than they do on wood.
The availability of wood should not be
too much of a problem, although the cost
of it can at times seem astronomical. If
you can't afford it, then scrounge and
comb your neighborhood for scrap pieces.
One man's trash is another man's
treasure. Many ramps have been put
together with wood that to most would be
considered junk. So don't let high prices
put you down. Go out and scavenge.
Some skatepark owners have realized
how wooden half-pipes can make a
difference in skater enthusiasm and in
cash outlay. Ramps may not be as
versatile as a pool but they sure are the
next best thing. Most park owners don't
have the room and money to put in new
pools, but they usually can work out
getting a good ramp built. Kona and
Sensation Basin skateparks both have
had ramps built that are now being
sessioned heavily. Not only were these
ramps cheaper to build than a pool, but
they are also more portable, easily
repaired and safer.
A skatepark made totally out of wood
ramps with varying sizes might not be too
far off in the future. A park like this would
probably cost one-fourth what a concrete
park would cost and it would offer more
versability to the park owner and the
skater. The owner could disassemble
ramps not being used and make new
ones while the skaters getting tired of one
size or shape could push to have another
different one made. Something like this is
unfeasible with concrete.
Plus, once a pool is built, that's it. You
can't mold or sand out vicious kinks. If a
ramp is built with a kink or mean
transition, it can be disassembled and put
back together properly. We all know how
many terrible pools have been made that
just lay in the park to waste. Every pool
that goes to waste hurts skateboarding
that much more.
Hopefully more and more, we will
realize the vast potential in ramps that lob
ahead of us. As the technology in ramps
gets more sophisticated, we will probably
see completely new designs. Wooden
pools, full pipes and banked bowls are
probably not too far off. Hey, if we can go
to Saturn, then sure enough we can build
a wooden pool that equals or betters a
cement one. The potential and oppor-
tunities are there, all that is needed is an
open mind.
Stacy Peralta
43