This week, an Ojai resident agreed to donate up to $50,000 in matching funds for a permanent, in-ground skate park in Ojai. This means Skate Ojai is only $72,000 from their goal of $350,000. The donations must be collected by June 30 to FINALLY make the permanent skate park a reality.
Skate Ojai has already raised $228K of the $350,000 needed to build the skate park. The City of Ojai has contributed $100,000 but will withdraw the money if Skate Ojai doesn’t reach the goal by June 30.
I’m writing this because I think skating is cool. I always have. I’m not a skater but have enjoyed watching and being around the sport my whole life. I think it’s really important that kids in Ojai have a real skate park. Last summer I had the thrill of watching my 7 year-old build his first board, plaster it with stickers, and try it out at the Ojai skate park. He took some lessons from a local teen who’s a competitive skater. He had so much fun. We met some really great kids, teens and parents at the skate park. If there had been a skate park in Ojai when I was growing up here, some of my friends might be a little less skilled today with power tools from building those home-grown ramps, but I can assure you we woulda been at the skate park night and day. There’s not much to do in Ojai when you’re a teenager. At least back then we had the bowling alley and a video arcade in Meiners Oaks. Let’s give our youth a place to hang out, be outdoors, get exercise and practice all those cool tricks.
Please, kick in if you can. Even the smallest donation will help.
HOW TO DONATE
Make a tax deductible donation today on their website at www.ojaiskatepark.com
or
Mail checks to: Ojai Community Bank, 402 W. Ojai Ave., 93023
Make checks out to: Skate Ojai
For more information contact Skate Ojai at:
info at ojaiskatepark dot com.
Local resident offers to match funds for Skate Ojai
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I am posting this blog in response to Leslie’s (?) comment regarding the $100,000.00 that the city so generously donated. The comment stating that the city will take back their donation is totally without merit. If you people would either attend the city council meetings or at least watch them on channel 10, you would have seen that question addressed by myself personnally to the council. What our Mayor, Sue Horgan told our skate park group was that if the whole amount of $350,000.00 was not raised, whatever we did raise, including what the city has pledged, would go toward a smaller park. I do not think the city coucil of Ojai would promise the kids of Ojai something and simply take it away, they have too much integrity to do such a thing. Check your facts first.
Yo Moe, what’s with the ‘you people’? Leslie is one person. In the future, please reread your statement before hitting the publish button. Diplomacy and the correct use of language will go a long way towards getting your point across without generating unnecessary friction.