CDA Skatepark gets a facelift

To many NIC students, the Coeur D’Alene Skatepark means free parking and a nice walk to campus. But there are many young people who call the skate park their home.

Just like any household, the skatepark has seen its ups and downs, but two local skaters are completely changing the way everyone relates to the skatepark.

Nathan “Ope” Baker and Jason Olsen are the founders of the “CDASK8PRK” initiative. Their goal is to make the skatepark something Coeur d’Alene can be proud of.

“It’s not just a skateboarding space,” Baker said. “It’s an artistic space.”

The dynamic duo said the design concept is to be uniquely Coeur D’Alene and will bring aspects from the city all to one place – accessible to everyone.

Besides the want to have a cool, new skate park, there’s something else driving this movement: skateboard subculture.

It’s something that can be seen even when you are just spectating. It’s a community of people who help and inspire each other to succeed.

“They are not afraid to fail,” Olsen said. “Anyone that I see that’s been really successful in life – they are not afraid to fail. Skateboarding and biking teaches you that you’ve got to try something over and over again to get it done. That lesson becomes something that you take with you for the rest of your life.”

According to CDASK8PRK’s Facebook page, the athletes are free to express themselves to the fullest.

Skating in itself is an individual sport but this park is already bringing in the community.

Photo courtesy of CDASK8PRK.

The duo wants to make the park less like skate park and more like an events center.

With Biketober, their second annual BMX competition happening the first weekend of October, the team hopes to create an even larger community.

“Parents are taking their kids skating – it’s the modern day baseball,” the duo said. “We don’t go out and have a catch; we go out and fall off stuff together.”

The team believes that making a new skate park would further the community and give more opportunities to young people – allowing them to express themselves and be individuals.

According to their Facebook page, placing the skate park in a more social environment would give the community more eyes to steer young people towards good choices while encouraging them to prosper in their sport.

“Iron man is a huge example, Olsen said. “If we could do something that is an eighth of what that is, then I think we’d be pretty successful.”

The duo said that the new park will require the community’s time and money.

As a nonprofit organization, they’ll have you do anything from video production to photography to working at booths to writing. If you’re interested in getting involved or want an internship with the team, contact CDASK8PRK on Facebook.

“Freedom – it’s your time do you your thing and express yourself,” Olsen said. “The community is here. It’s not just a hobby thing. It’s a lifelong thing.”

The building of the new park is anticipated to begin in 2017.