The Skatepark Chemile
Chronicle
The Great Skatepark Insurance Scam
Park owners
meet to discuss
liability woes
By Harry Mons
Skateboard parks in many
eastern states and possibly
across the country have been
victimized by a liability insur-
ance scam that has reportedly
forced at least two parks to
close and could potentially
shut down many more.
Invalid policies were report-
ed sold by an agent named
Fred Whitelock who claimed
he represented a large insurer
called Utah Home and Fire.
That company does not insure
skateboard parks, according to
Mitch Rowley, an attorney
with the Nebraska Department
of Insurance.
Whitelock and his agency.
Recreational Sports Associa
tion, which offered the policies,
is currently under investigation
by the US. Attorney in Omaha
and the U.S. Postal Inspection
Service. No charges have been
filed, but Rowley said there.
have been twenty-one docu-
mented complaints: seven from
skatepark owners, fourteen
from rollerskating rinks.
"There have been no admin-
istrative hearings, no court
proceedings," said Rowley.
"He (Whitelock) has not been
found guilty of anything. If the
allegations are proven true, it
would be improper conduct
for an agent who does not
have binding authority from
the company to issue policies.
We have the authority to take
away his insurance agent's
license. If there are criminal
charges filed, they will be
handled by the attorney gener
al's office."
The case may involve mail
fraud, said Al Brady, a postal
inspector in Omaha, Nebraska.
Brady said his office began
receiving complaints at the
end of May. The U.S. Attor-1
ney may also bring charges
against Whitelock.
"It is under investigation
and if there's a resolution to
the case, charges will be filed
and those will speak for them-
selves," said Thomas Thalken,
28 THE MAGAZIN
assistant U.S. Attorney in
Omaha, who refused further
comment on the case.
Despite repeated attempts,
Fred Whitelock could not be
reached for comment.
Operating out of a post
office box in Omaha, White-
lock apparently began and
low-cost liability insurance to
skateparks at least two years
ago. It was not until Ken
imus Motor Sports in Cam
Deutsch, owner of Z.T. Max-
bridge, Massachusetts, tried to
get insured through Whitelock
that his attorney investigated
and learned the Utah insurer
did not have a permit to sell
insurance in his state.
"Whitelock would have
taken the money from me, but
Utah Home and Fire wasn't
registered in the state of Mas
sachusetts, so he ended up giv-
ing me a withdrawal notice." Deutsch said. "He was Mister
said Deutsch.
Wonderful. He faxed the poli-
cy and everyone liked it; it
passed the test. But he rescind
ed the policy because the com-
pany had not been approved.
We went to the Department of
Deutsch's trials first began
when his landlord insisted Z.T.
Maximus be insured.
Whitelock quoted $3,200
over the phone for my park,"
Insurance to find whose desk
it was sitting on, why it had
not been accepted, and ended.
up exposing Whitelock."
There are not many insur-
ance companies willing to
insure skateparks, according to
many owners. Charleston
Hanger in South Carolina is
Next Page Col
Skaters Applaud New Streetstyle Park Area
Kids shocked by city's
sudden change of heart
ORANGE, CALIFORNIA
reports last
Readers of the Skronicle remember r
year of heated meetings, where skaters and the
Chamber of Commerce debated the idea of build-
ing a
ga park with city funds to no avail. What a sur-
prise to local skaters when they recently discovered
new mega-street structure being constructed just
three blocks from the Super Shopper Mall.
"It's killer," said local grommet Johnny Dip. "At
last someone has designed the ultimate street
area no strobstacles, just the kill, pure curbs,
SKATEPARK LIST
ALABAMA
Rampage 501 Springville
Circle, Birmingham, AL
35215,205 854-9617
ARKANSAS
Bike Haus, 111 Buena Vista
Hot Springs, AR 71913, 501
525-4500
Kanis Park, South Mississip
pi Little Rock, AR 72205
Skate Station 225 N. Gregg
St., Fayetteville, AR 72701,
501 442-6526
ARIZONA
Rocktown, 2728 W. Orange-
wood, Phoenix, AZ 85061,
632 780-0361
Thrasherland, 11748 W.
Glendale Ave, Glendale, AZ
85307,602 872-9737
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Langley Skate Ranch
23445 62nd Ave, Langley,
BC, Canada, 604 534-3115
Richmond Skate Ranch
7391 Elbridge Wy, Richmond,
BC, Canada, 604 273-7780
China Creek Vancouver
Seylyne Park North Van-
couver
William Griffin Park, North
Vancouver
Tiffine Park, Tiffino, Vancou
ver Island
CALIFORNIA
McGill's Carlsbad
Skatepark Palomar Airport
Rd, Carlsbad, CA 92008
619 598-8688
City Skates, 610 Hawkeye
Ave, Turlock, CA 95380. 209
667-4848
Derby Park, Sacramento &
Woodland on west side,
Santa Cruz, CA
Greer Park, W. Bayshore &
Colorado, Palo Alto, CA
The Hilltop Dish Hudson &
Whitney Young St, San
Francisco, CA
Powell-Peralta Skate
30 S. La Patera, Goleta, CA
93117, 805 964-1330
San Jose Skatepark, 634 N.
8th St, San Jose, CA 95112,
408 298-8123
Shasta Co. YMCA, 1155
Court St, Redding, CA
96001, 916 246-9622
SK8 Underground, 24550
Sunnymead Blvd, Moreno
Valley, CA 92553, 714924-
4573
Transition Skatepark, 6405.
Atlantic. LA. CA 90022,213
268-1066
Visalia YMCA, 211 W. Tulare
Ave, Visalia, CA 93227,209
627-0700
Willow Glee Amphitheatre
W. 7th & K St, Benicia, CA
COLORADO
Fort Collins, 105 E. Lincoln
Ave, Ft. Collins, CO 80524,
303 493-0943
Independent, 123 E. Bijou
Colorado Springs, CO
60903, 719 630-8674
Jamaica Jim's 3040 S. Plat-
te River Dr, Englewood, CO
80110, 303 761-9317
Glacier View Ranch, 8748
Overland Rd., Ward, CO
80481, 303 459-3244
CONNECTICUT
Connecticut Bike & Skate
86 South St, Bristol, CT
06010, 203 582-3334
The Playground, 35 Capitol
Dr. Wallingford, CT 06402
203 269-3206
FLORIDA
Astro Skating Center, 875
Cypress, Tarpon Springs, FL
34689, 813 938-5778
Bulldog Skatepark, 741
Mayflower, Ft. Walton Bch,
FL 32548, 904 863-4500
Grinders Skatepark 4315
20th St. W. Bradenton, FL
34205,813 751-4444
Island U.S. Hwy 41, 5
Box 718, Springhill, FL
34610,904 799-5182
Kona Skatepark 8739 Kona
Ave. Jacksonville, FL 32211.
904 725-8770
Mike McGill's Indoor, 201
Douglas Ave, Oldsmar, FL
33614,813 855-2763
Myrtle Grave YMCA 5406
Lillian Hwy, Box 3175, Myr-
benches, planter boxes, rails, you name it. Plus, it's
close to all these new retail stores they're building"
News of the area came as a surprise to city coun
cil member Grumpy Stem. "I haven't heard a damn
thing about it. Like I said before, not one red cent
of city money will go toward those riff-raff. If it's a
privately funded area, that's another story. But they
better have all their permits in order or we'll close
them down so fast their heads will spin."
The skaters, who have been sessioning the nearly
complete area for over three months, don't care
who is building it, they're just happy to finally have
a place to ride. "Whoever's responsible for building
it deserves a medal," said Johnny. "It's the closest
thing to a real parking lot I've ever seen. These
guys really know how to design a park."
the Grove, FL 32506.904
456-5455
N.E. Pensacola YMCA Lan-
gly Ave, Pensacola, FL
32503, 904 478-1029
Ramp Age, 1332 W. Ander
son St, Orlando, FL 32805,
407 872-1554
Stone Edge, 1848 5. Ridge-
wood Ave, S. Daytona, FL
32109,904 751-1123
The Edge, 8100 Ulmerton
Rd., Largo, FL 34641, 813
535-8345
GEORGIA
Skate Zone, 3002
Lawrenceville, Hwy 29. Tuck-
er, GA 30084, 404 491-0656
Skateboard Connection, 472
D. Flowing Wells Rd. Mar-
tinez, GA 63119, 404 855-
1805
Skateboard Warehouse
909-B Roosevelt, Albany, GA
31701, 912 883-5823
Street Waves 6709 Tribble
St. Lithonia, GA 30058, 404
482-7471
The Wall, 2209 Mountain
Rd. Daton, GA 30720,404
HAWAII
Aala Skatepark 1290 Asia
St. Honolulu, HI 96817,808
522-7000
Jungle Land bushes behind
Salvation Army on Shaw St,
Lahaina, HI 96761.
808 661-8443
Kallua Rec Center, 215
Kanal Dr., Kailua, H
96734,808 261-0680
Kalakaua Rec Center, 720
McNeill St, Honolulu, HI
96817,808 832-7801
ILLINOIS
4 Wheels Out 2350 Hassell
Rd, Hoffman Estates, IL
60103,708 885-8170
Rotation Station, 7915 N
Alpine Rd. Loves Park,
61111,815 654-7477
Skank 1101 South Grand
East, Springfield, IL 62702.
217 522-7267
INDIANA
Cedar Crest 2025 Cedar
Crest Dr, Kokomo, IN
46902,317 457-8669
Skate Sensation 222 Pearl
St., New Albany, IN 47150
Swinney Park, 705 E. State
Blvd., Ft. Wayne, IN 46805.
219 422-1490
IOWA
Central Skate Complex 338
SW 6th St, Des Moines, IA
50309, 515 246-8039
Rampage, 4004 W. Kimberly
Rd., Davenport, IA 52001,
319 386-8762
KANSAS
Wild West Skatepark, 9020
W. Harry, Wichita, KS 67209
316 722-0470
8.J. Skatepark 3525 W
30th St South, Wichita, KS
67217, 316 945-8089
KENTUCKY
Audobon Skatepark 3310 S
Preston St, Louisville, KY
40213, 502 363-1875
Insurance
From Previous Page
another park affected by a pol-
icy bought through Whitelock,
which turned out to be invalid.
Those who do insure skate-
parks charge a great deal.
Nancy Moore, owner of The
Hanger, was quoted an annual
premium of $16,000 for the
same coverage Whitelock
offered Deutsch for $3,200.
Deutsch complained that he
has had many insurance
experts out to look at his park
and nobody will touch it.
"One guy came out and
looked over the lip of the ramp
and said, "So, this is where the
spectators watch from, right?"
They look at us like we're
from another part of the uni-
verse," said Deutsch.
Liability insurance is a
necessity if a park is going to
operate without fear of law-
suits. In many cases state or
local city ordinances require a
skatepark to prove they are
properly insured or they are
not allowed to operate. Some
parks, like Z.T. Maximus,
were operating without insur
ance, using waiver forms that
had to be signed by the skater
and his or her parents.
"If they do not have liability
insurance coverage and they
get sued for personal injury.
Green River, 463 Spurlington
Rd, Campbellsville, KY 42718.
502 465-8667
Skate Station 3320 Frankfort
Ave, Louisville, KY 40206
502 895-4532
MARYLAND
Ocean Bowl 3rd St & St
Louis Ave, Ocean City, MD
21842,301 289-BOWL
The Pipeline, 302 Compton
Ave. Laurel, MD 20707, 301
776-9608
MAINE
Ratz, 9 Landry St, Biddeford,
ME 04005, 207 284-1500
MASSACHUSETTS
Z.T. Maximas, 324 Rindge
Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138,
617 576-4723
Aplin Playground Clarendon
St., N. Andover, MA 01845
508685-8005
MICHIGAN
Grand Traverse YMCA Rac-
quet Club Dr, Traverse City.
MI 49684, 616 947-5880
K-zoo Skate-zoa, 1502 Ravine
Rd Kalamazoo, MI 49008,
616 345-0550
Skate Escape, 184 W. Ward-
low, Highland, MI 48031, 313
887-0099
Wind, Waves & Wheels, 198
Northland Dr. Rockford, MI
49341, 616 866-9584
MINNESOTA
Twin Cities Skate Oasis, 1201
E. Lakes St, Minn, MN
55407,612 724-0587
then the rink or park will be
personally responsible for the
damages," warned Rowley.
"It's a scam. The guy's
apparently defrauding a bunch
of people." Deutsch said. "My
skatepark's closed because of
this guy Fred Whitelock who
has done skating a great dis-
service. He might have had the
best intentions, but if he took
it on himself to make pay
ments on claims, that's not
legal according to the insur
ance industry."
Deutsch said he likes how
Eastern Vert has taken care of
the insurance problem by
developing a program where
the kids insure themselves.
Reggie Barnes, owner of
Eastern Skateboard Supply,
was going to open his own
skatepark and investigated lia-
bility insurance. Now Barnes
is trying to locate other insur
ance companies for his cus-
tomers. He had organized a
meeting of skatepark owners
as this issue was going to
press. Insurance companies
had been invited to attend.
Look for more details in next
month's issue.
"There are other good things
that can come out of this, but
insurance is one of the things
we are going to talk about.
Insurance companies are lis-
MISSISSIPPI
Steve's Southcoast
Skatepark 515 Krebs Ave.
Pascagoula, MS 39567,601
769-2007
MISSOURI
Ballet Skate Club, 505 W
13th St., Joplin, MO 64801.
417 822-2888
Radz, 1300 St. Louis St.
Springfield, MO 65802, 417
869-7237
Splash 33 E. Glendale, Web-
ster Grove, MO 63119.314
532-8085
NEBRASKA
Eat Concrete 6101 Irvington
Rd., Omaha, NE 68134,402
572-7676
Fast Ramp, 300 N 2nd St,
Lincoln, NE 68508, 402 438-
1210
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Zero Gravity, 522 Amherst
St, Nashua, NH 03063,603
595-4250
NEW JERSEY
Wood Waves 516 East Bay
Ave, Manahawkin, NJ 08050
609 597-5756
NEW YORK
Boarder Transitions, 1801
Ontario Ave Niagra Falls, NY
14305, 716 282-2301
Halfpipe Indoor Skatepark
612 Corporate Way, Valley
Cottage, NY 10989
914 268-4084
Saratoga Springs, East Side
Rec. Complex, Saratoga
tening because they don't want
to spend much time with one
guy. But when you get twenty
or thirty people together, they
want to come in and talk. At
the meeting we might also get
a competition series from one
park to the next, and park
design could improve."
There may be many park
owners who believe they have
liability insurance when, in
fact, they do not, said Rowley.
"We are still gathering infor-
mation from any person who
has a policy, specifically skate-
board parks," he said. Rowley
believes Whitelock sold poli-
cies throughout the country.
"We're fielding complaints
from skateboard parks in other
states," said Rowley. "As far
as I know, all complaints stem
from policies sold by Mr.
Whitelock."
Postal Inspector Brady said,
"There are probably people
who think they have insurance
but don't know they have a
problem, whether it be with
this guy or others. If they read
this article, they may be able
to identify more victims. We
encourage them to contact our
office (Al Brady, Box 1537,
Omaha, NE 68101-1537) or
the Department of Insurance in
Nebraska."
Springs, NY 12866, 518 587-
3550
Skateboard Madness, 2466
Charles Ct, N. Bellmore, NY
11510, 516 679-5047
NORTH CAROLINA
Easters Vert, 2390 E. Sprague
St., Winston-Salem, NC
27107,919 785-1889
The Big Kahuna Skate &
DanceDame, Galleon
Esplanade Bch Rd, Milepost
11. Nags Head, NC 27959
919 441-8087
Ramp House, 220 Winner
Ave. Carolina Beach, NC
28428,919 458-3906
OHIO
Berea Skate Triangle, 4511
Front St, Cleveland, OH
44017, 216 243-1300
Ohio Surf & Skate, 1306
Wyoming St, Dayton, OH
45410, 513 253-1119
Dodge Skatepark, Columbus
Parks & Rec., Columbus, OH
Sansports, 175 Fairway Blvd,
Whitehall, OH 43213.614
575-2929
ONTARIO
Grassroots 12 Fisherman Dr.
Brampton, Ont. Canada L7A
186,416 840-5335
M&J's Skatetown, 810 Rye
St. Peterborough, Ont. Cana-
da, 705 745-7300
Sports Afield 310 Patio
Rd., Tecumseh, Ont. Canada.
519 727-3967
SKATEPARK UPDATE
Cajun park
closes doors
Associated Skater
LAFAYETTE, LA
The street course and super
wide mini-ramp at Surf N
Skate are no longer available
for public consumption, Finan
cial difficulties and location
problems have caused co-own-
ers John Arcenaux and Tim
Metcalf to abandon the park
and move the pro shop.
Revolution Surf N Skate is
a shop without a park until the
displaced partners can find
another locale.
Turf upgrades
its arsenal
GREENFIELD, WI
Turf Skatepark has added a
new outdoor street course
complete with fun box, pyra-
mid thing and asphalt banks to
its vast array of terrain, includ
ing a 6' x 20' steel mini-ramp
built last year and a burgeon
ing selection of bowls dating
back to the 70s.
Marko Alauf, a Turf em-
ployee and coping commando,
says the street area has re-
ceived rave reviews from the
Sud Skates 5A Bond St, St.
Catherines, Ont. Canada, 416
684-8434
Torontosaurus Skatepark
3721 Chesswood Dr.
Downsview, Ont. Canada M3J
2P6, 416 638-5047
Transition 171 Harmony Rd.,
Oshawa, Ont. Canada, 416
432-1577
OKLAHOMA
Daddy-O's Skate Emporium
6945 E 38th St, Tulsa, OK
74145,918 622-7471
Radical Ramps, 1113 S. Dou-
glas Blvd, Midwest City, OK
73130, 405 733-4100
PENNSYLVANIA
Cheap Skates, 13 Swartley
Rd. Line Lexington, PA
18932, 215 997-2313
Chris Bernstine Memorial 4th
St. Elm Pk, Williamsport, PA
17701,717 323-3107
DJ's Indoor Skatepark 1414
Broadhead Rd., Aliquippa, PA
15001,412 375-2099
Kid's Mountain Skateway
3100 Fairway Dr. Altoona, PA
16602, 814 946-1444
Magic Skatepark, Rt. 562
Jacksonwald, PA 19606,215
372-6624
PA Cheap Skates, 1064 3rd
St., N. Versailles, PA 15137,
412 829-2728
Rip The Lip, 110 Brimmer
Ave, New Holland, PA 17557,
800 525-5843
Shady Skates, 7501 Penn
Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15208
412 731-5400
RHODE ISLAND
Skate Hut 7 Dike St, Provi
dence, RI 02909, 401 331-
3634
Skater's Edge, 334 Knight St.
Bldg. 3, Warwick, RI 02886
401 732-1004
SOUTH CAROLINA
Charleston Hanger, 7282 Spa
Rd., Charleston, SC 29418,
803 863-8612
Transitions Indoor Skatepark
50 C Woods Lake Rd.
Greenville, SC 29609,803
370-1945
TENNESSEE
Crown, Hwy 41A, Winchester,
TN 37398, 615 962-0644
Hi-Railers, 6217 Charlotte
Ave, Nashville, TN 37209, 615
356-0623
Pluto's Sports, 128 Sherlake
Rd., Knoxville, TN 37922.615
693-1762
TEXAS
Power Plant 2309 Gardenia
Austin, TX 78727, 512244-
7774
Evans Brothers, 5821 Ayers,
Corpus Christi, TX 78415, 512
852-4636
Fast Track, 829 S. Georgia,
Amarillo, TX 79106,806 373-
3122
San Antonia Heights, 2250
Austin Hwy., San Antonio, TX
78218, 512 637-5283
locals, but even with all the
new construction, the three-
leaf clover bowl is still the
center of attention. "That's the
most popular thing by far,"
says Alauf
Cutting Edge
celebration
BENNINGTON, VT
In commemoration of the
completion of a new street
course and 32-foot wide mini-
spine ramp, Cutting Edge
skatepark recently threw a
belated grand opening shindig
that included a contest, demo
and music by the Connecticut
band FM, "kind of a party,
barbeque, the whole ordeal,"
says owner Nick Pedemonti.
Vermont skaters and snow-
boarders surely have some-
thing to party about. In addi
tion to the indoor 6½" deep.
square-shaped wooden bowl,
the park now has an outdoor
mini with a 4' camel hump and
8 mini-platform that both
barge the 20' spine, as well as
a brand new street course..
Local reaction has been good,
says Pedemonti, "The mini
was just finished and they're
all flying over that."
Phillips Skatepark 2551
Lombardy Lane #150, Dallas
TX 75220, 214 358-0052
Skateboard Alley, 109 E. Ba-
ley Dr, Nash, TX 75569,903
838-0908
Skatepark Houston, 4818
Orange Grove, Houston, TX
77039,713 449-4438
Skatetime, 2935 Bachman
Dr. Dallas, TX 75220,214
350-8947
UTAH
Mrs. C's Skatepark, 9139 S
255 W. Sandy, UT 84070, 801
561-7267
VERMONT
Cutting Edge, 160 Benmont
Ave, Bennington, VT 05201,
802 447-7570
VIRGINIA
Lynehaven, Great Neck Rd &
1st Colonial Rd, VA Beach, VA
23454, 804 481-4340
Mount Trashmare, S. Blvd &
Edwin Dr, VA Beach, VA
23456,804 490-0051
Red Wing, Old Poor Farm Rd,
VA Beach, VA 23456,804
422-5122
WASHINGTON
Air Radical, 111 N. 3rd Ave,
Yakima, WA 98902, 509 453-
4008
WISCONSIN
Tart 4267 W. Loomis Rd.,
Greenfield, WI 53221,414
281-9000
Red Arrow Park Taft Ave &
Northwestfield St, Osh Kosh
WI 54901
29