Ann Arbor Skatepark initiative gets $25K boost from local couple
The Ann Arbor Skatepark initiative is $25,000 closer to reaching its fundraising goal after a large donation from local entrepreneur Dug Song and his wife Linh.
The Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark announced the gift today with hopes it will inspire others in the community to contribute toward construction of a permanent skate park at Veterans Memorial Park, where the city of Ann Arbor has donated land for the project.
"We're absolutely thrilled by this donation and we hope it provides momentum for other donors in the community," said Scott Rosencrans, project liaison for the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark. "Local governments are doing their part to pitch in for the effort and the key element now is for private philanthropy to make up the difference."
A photo of Dug Song and his son during "Go Skateboarding Day" in 2009 at a skate park in Farmington Hills. Song and his wife hope to see a similar park built in Ann Arbor.
Courtesy of Dug Song
A successful software developer, Song played a key role in the development of University of Michigan spinoff Arbor Networks, which was sold in 2010 to Tektronix Communications, a subsidiary of Washington, D.C.-based conglomerate Danaher Corp.
After a brief stint with Barracuda Networks in Ann Arbor, Song co-founded a startup called Duo Security. He also is a founder of a nonprofit called A2Geeks, which runs various meetups for technologists and entrepreneurs in the area.
Additionally, he is a founder of the Tech Brewery, a high-tech business incubator based in Ann Arbor.
"Dug has been a skateboarder for many years and we want our kids to enjoy the benefits of this safe and amazing sport that encourages creativity, camaraderie, and self-expression," Linh Song, a social worker in Ann Arbor, said in a statement today.
"We encourage every family in the community to join us by sharing whatever resources they are able in order to move this project forward," she said.
When she and her husband started planning their family, Linh Song said they decided they didn't want to live in a city without a skate park. Now that they have two small children, she said they're more motivated than ever to see the project become a reality.
According to ConcreteDisciples.com, there are more than 80 skate parks in Michigan, but not one in Ann Arbor. The Ann Arbor skate park would be a free public amenity.
Rosencrans estimated recently that 5,000 to 7,000 people from Washtenaw County — mostly children — would be served by a skate park. He noted the importance of skateboarding is emphasized in Ann Arbor's 2011-2015 Parks & Recreation Open Space Plan.
Area skateboarding enthusiasts have been working for a few years now on raising money to develop a skate park on a 30,000-square-foot section of Veterans Memorial Park.
The Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark officially became a nonprofit corporation on Sept. 14, 2010. That's when fundraising efforts shifted into high gear, but the group has struggled to raise the $1 million it needs for the project.
Washtenaw County's Parks and Recreation Commission has pledged up to $400,000 in matching funds if the group can raise other funds. Diana Kern, treasurer and development chair, said in late June the group had raised about $75,000.
So far, the city hasn't committed any funds directly to the project, but it did agree earlier this year to help the skate park group apply for government grants. The city now is seeking $300,000 in grant funding from the state and expects to hear back by November.
Rosencrans said the group is moving aggressively toward a goal of making sure it has $100,000 in its build fund before it releases a request for proposals on the project. He estimated the group has somewhere between $85,000 and $90,000 in its build fund now, with another $12,000 to 15,000 in its maintenance fund and $1,200 to $1,500 in its operating fund.
Rosencrans said the language for the skate park RFP is ready to go and has been approved by all the project's partners. He's hoping it can be released soon.
An agreement between the city and the skate park group from December 2008 states that construction must commence by Jan. 1, 2014, and the skate park group is responsible for raising all of the funds for the design, construction, operation and maintenance.
To donate to the skate park project, go here.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's e-mail newsletters.
Comments
Wolf's Bane
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 12:21 p.m.
Nice work Dug Song, local entrepreneur.
Scott Rosencrans
Sat, Aug 27, 2011 : 8:39 p.m.
@Veracity: Thank you for your thoughtful questions. The AAOS report you cite does not distinguish between injuries in and out of skate park facilities. However, the Canadian Amateur Skateboarding Association conducted a study that found that only 5% of all skateboarding injuries occur in skate parks - the rest are when people are skating in traffic or home made ramps. The Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America did a study that concluded: "Injuries to skateboarders occur primarily when skateboarders practice close to traffic or use homemade ramps. Each of these concerns is mitigated by the construction of a 'world-class' skate park." Like the one we are proposing. The Consumer Product Safety Commission found that skateboarding is safer, in terms of injuries per 100,000 participants and with respect to emergency room visits, than basketball, football, hockey baseball, soccer fishing, and golf. In fact, it ranked below all main stream sports. As to the question of how many people would use the amenity, we figure between 5,000 and 7,000 skateboarders in the county. The Ann Arbor Parks PROS strategic plan released this year found that skate boarding is more popular in Ann Arbor than hockey, football, volleyball and rowing. Rowing, as you may know, is the most popular of all High School sports. Further, the PROS plan found that skateboarding is just as popular as baseball, basketball, dance, day camps, disc golf fishing, softball, and ultimate frisbee. Certainly, none of us would want a park system without amenities for these sports. Thanks for asking. Its important to get this information out there.
Dug Song
Sat, Aug 27, 2011 : 3:12 p.m.
Why we gave to the skatepark, and why you should too! <a href="http://www.razoo.com/story/A2skatepark" rel='nofollow'>http://www.razoo.com/story/A2skatepark</a>
Veracity
Sat, Aug 27, 2011 : 1:57 p.m.
It is difficult to justify spending $1 million for a dedicated skateboard park that will be used only by a few. In the only study, done in 2005, it was determined that about 5% of children 13 to 17 years old used skateboards. That percentage translates into 250 to 500 youths. Add another 500 adults who may skateboard and the park will service less than 1% of Ann Arbor's population. Also, believing that skateboarding will be confined to a skateboard park is unrealistic. The skateboard will continue to be a mode of transportation about town. Also, for many skateboarders, the park may not be convenient when an enthusiast wants to use his skateboard, especially since most skateboarders are males under 18 years of age who may not easily get to the park. Furthermore, skateboarding is a dangerous activity that produces injuries (search YouTube for "skate board injuries"). Many skateboarders do not wear safety helmets or pads. A concrete and steel skateboard park with ramps that launch kids into the air will never achieve a Consumers Report safety achievement award. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons is so concerned that it published guidelines which should be followed by those sponsoring and maintaining the skateboard park (if built): <a href="http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00273" rel='nofollow'>http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00273</a> Whoever owns and operates the skateboard park should be concerned about liability. Can liability insurance coverage be purchased for a skateboard park? For safety sake the park should be fenced and have a lockable gate. Hours of use should be restricted especially during school days and activities monitored by a trained supervisor. In this regard, who will pay for the supervision and also for the maintenance?
Ron Granger
Sat, Aug 27, 2011 : 2:52 p.m.
Liability? There are already 80+ skate parks in Michigan. Visit a skate park and look at the range of ages using it. You'd be surprised at how many users are between 4-10, and how many girls. If you build it, they will come. Skateboarding is illegal in many parts of Ann Arbor.
Veracity
Sat, Aug 27, 2011 : 1:30 p.m.
It is difficult to justify spending $1 million for a dedicated skateboard park that will be used only by a few. The only study of skateboard usage, done in 2005, determined that about 5% of children 13 to 17 years old used skateboards IN ANN ARBOR. That percentage translates into 250 to 500 youths. Add another 500 adults who may skateboard and the park will service less than 1% of Ann Arbor's population. In addition, since most skateboard users are youngsters under 18 years of age, many will find it difficult and inconvenient to travel to a skateboard park at Veterans Park. Also, believing that skateboarding will be confined to a skateboard park is unrealistic. The skateboard will continue to be a mode of transportation about town. Also, for many skateboarders, the park may not be convenient when an enthusiast wants to use his skateboard. Furthermore, despite the statement otherwise in the story, skateboarding is a dangerous activity that produces injuries (search YouTube for "skate board injuries"). Many skateboarders do not wear safety helmets or pads. A concrete and steel skateboard park with ramps that launch kids into the air will never achieve a Consumers Report safety achievement award. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons is so concerned that it published guidelines which should be followed by those sponsoring and maintaining the skateboard park (if built): <a href="http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00273" rel='nofollow'>http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00273</a> Whoever owns and operates the skateboard park should be concerned about liability. Can liability insurance coverage be purchased for a skateboard park? For safety sake the park should be fenced and have a lockable gate. Hours of use should be restricted especially during school days and activities monitored by a trained supervisor. In this regard, who will pay for the supervision and also for the maintenance?
Robert Stone
Sat, Aug 27, 2011 : 1:17 a.m.
I wish the "public art" proponents would take a hint from this and realize that if no ann arbor residents are willing to put their own personal funds into something that ann arbor supposedly "values" (as in "ann arbor values art") then I really have to wonder if they actually "value" that something at all. Currently it seems to me that Ann Arbor values skate parks much more than art, given that someone is actually willing to donate their own private funds for a skate park. With "ann arbor values art", I think it's more like "You WILL value our city-government-approved art and contribute your income to it whether you like it or not. If we want you're opinion, we'll tell you what it is. The beatings will continue until morale improves." Personally I think we need a city law requiring that any city council member who supports the building of a specific sculpture/etc by a specific artist somewhere must contribute at least 10% of his/her own money to the project. I'm betting that would place a handy control on things.
HeavyMental
Sat, Aug 27, 2011 : 12:26 a.m.
This towns priorities sure are messed up.
Steve Hendel
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 11:33 p.m.
@jcj: No one is asking the Ann Arbor taxpayers for a dime ( as of now, but I'll bet the Friends of the AA Skatepark get around to it when they realize how much yearly maintenance will cost). The County = $400,000, and the possible State grant = $300,000; Ypsi was a part of both last time I looked.
Scott Rosencrans
Sat, Aug 27, 2011 : 8:16 p.m.
Hi Steve, According to the Folks at Farmington Hills, who have a skatepark that is very much like the one we propose, the annual maintenance costs are approx. $6,000 to $8,000. Since 10% of every donation automatically goes in to the maintenance fund we pretty much have the first 2 years covered already. Thanks for the good words.
jcj
Sat, Aug 27, 2011 : 12:08 a.m.
I stand corrected. And will limp away with my tail between my legs. I still think its a good idea.
jcj
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 11:20 p.m.
I will never use a skateboard park and I doubt my grandkids will. BUT I applaud the effort and wish them well.
Laurel
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 10:53 p.m.
Now if only we'd stop ticketing/confiscating skateboards of the local children at play...
Robot Charles
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 10:36 p.m.
There is an age gap in the service provided by Ann Arbor Parks and Rec for people who are thirteen to twenty something years old. Most pools and playgrounds are used by children, golf courses are used by older adults, softball fields by children or middle age adults, and soccer fields used by children. The typical skater is thirteen to twenty and a skate park would allow for these people to get involved with the park system. Please remember that skateboarding is not a crime, but sometimes I feel that golf is.
Steve Hendel
Sat, Aug 27, 2011 : 1:23 a.m.
Where do you get your information about what age groups use which rec facilities?
Steve Hendel
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 10 p.m.
It's not negativity, it's realism. The Friends have, as the article notes, about $85,000-$90,000 in their Building Fund, and they need to raise approximately $600,000 ($1,000,000 total cost less $400,000 County matching funds). This is after, as the article also notes, a few years of fundraising. How can you justify the release of an RFP, even IF it is for design only, if you are so far short of the funds you will need to build the facility? it is true that there is the possibility of a $300,000 State grant for the project; however, this is far from a certainty. Additionally, it is not even clear that it would count as matching funds for County grant purposes. Even if it did, they would still be @ $ 200,000 short of their total goal: Total cost: $1,000,000 Less donations to date: @$100,000 Less State grant: $300,000 Less County match: $400,000 Additional amount to be raised: $200,000 The Friends success at fundraising to date is not encouraging in this regard. This begs the question, also, as to whether or not a facility which will almost certainly have at it's primary users a fairly small group of young males is a worthy project on which to spend $400,000-$700,000 in taxpayer funds. I have a better suggestion: use the money to fund recreation programs for ALL ages in the City of Ypsilanti, which had had to cut off all City monies for such purposes. I'll bet just a small part of that $700,000 would repair the Rutherford Pool, used by surely many more people than would ever use a skatepark.
Wolf's Bane
Tue, Aug 30, 2011 : 12:34 p.m.
Steve, I understand your concerns and it is true, Ypsilanti is in shambles regarding community based activity centers. Even if all the Friend's monies were turned over to Ypsilanti, it would be a drop in the bucket and quickly dry up because the values are not there. A city and its citizenry have to value these types of projects to sustain them and make them a reality. These guys have been at this for quite some time and this is for Ann Arbor's youth, both boys and girls, as well as adults, so it is hardly fair to make this an issue about sex! I bet a few more donations will make this skatepark a reality.
Ron Granger
Sat, Aug 27, 2011 : 2:07 p.m.
"This begs the question, also, as to whether or not a facility which will almost certainly have at it's primary users a fairly small group of young males is a worthy project on which to spend $400,000-$700,000 in taxpayer funds. I have a better suggestion: use the money to fund recreation programs for ALL ages in the City of Ypsilanti" At skate parks, I see kids of both genders, ranging in age from 3 or 4 on up to adults. The little kids often ride scooters. During a recent visit, I was really surprised at how many young kids were using the park. But they have other park activity options that the 8-20 year olds do not. So it seems you have never been to a skate park. There are more than 80 of them in the state. Maybe you should visit one before expounding on the subject at such length? Your numbers spin is pointless. Ann Arbor will get a skate park, it is just a question of when. If you want progress in Ypsilanti, you should start a grassroots effort and organize *your* community. Dug and others have been working on this for many years.
jcj
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 11:19 p.m.
Maybe the City of Ann Arbor should adopt Lincoln Park and Hamtramck as well! Why would you suggest that AA taxpayers fund ANYTHING in Ypsilanti?
sh1
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 10:55 p.m.
Scrooge.
Kai Petainen
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 9:28 p.m.
awesome!
Jon Saalberg
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 9:15 p.m.
Hmm. I guess public art trumps keep our youth busy getting physical activity in a safe environment. This is pretty sad - Marquette, my wife's hometown of 25,000 has a skate park, and a bike path that circumnavigates the town, to boot. For an allegedly green city, Ann Arbor has a long way to go - we seem to have a city administration that values building parking garages over other projects that are infinitely more worthy.
Andrew Kerr
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 8:45 p.m.
This is great, thanks Doug! I'm still not sure why these projects have to be completely free though. Why not charge $25/year for a pass, make it a cool sticker you can put on your board or something, to make up the difference. Same with bike paths. Madison charges $20/yr or so for a pass for their paths and from what I hear it really helps the funding. Shoot, I'd pay for it even if I didn't use it because I think its a great idea and great for the community.
Elaine F. Owsley
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 8:35 p.m.
Now, if the city could see the greater value of a skate park as opposed to some silly decoration for the police station, maybe the money would be available. How about it Ann Arbor? Call it "public art" and put up the cash. Think of the return on this investment.
DeeDee
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 8:16 p.m.
More evidence, although it wasn't really was needed, that Dug Song is a great person as well as a great entrepreneur. Kudos to both Dug and his wife. But, maybe the potential users should make more of an effort to get behind this. If there are really 7000 customers out there, one would think that the group could have raised a little more than $10 per person benefiting, which would be roughly what is needed to get to the $75K stated to have been raised by May. In this time of short funding though, here's an idea for the city council. Skate parks are quite "sculptural" looking and surely could be made even more so with a little creativity. Instead of a $250K piece of public art just sitting there at the Fuller transportation center, why not move the gift of land to that site, and put the $250K into an "artistic" skate park. The transportation center aspect would make it easier for potential users to get there, the kids would be "performance art," and the public art money would be going for something with a greater good.
5c0++ H4d13y
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 8:05 p.m.
Thanks Doug!
jrigglem
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 8:04 p.m.
Yay! Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Song! I hope many people can learn from this example and see that it isn't a nuisance, it would be a place for people to safely skate without the risk of injury or harassment.
marzan
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 7:39 p.m.
Woot! Go Dug! He's done so many great things for Ann Arbor already!
dextermom
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 7:38 p.m.
Fantastic donation. Every big bit helps!
Steve Hendel
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 7:32 p.m.
Correction: BARELY 10%
John A2
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 7:23 p.m.
I watched a kid come down the Miller hill at Maple Rd. He tried to stop and even jumped and rolled, but never the less still had too much momentum and ended up getting hit by a car anyway. This was twenty years ago, and I have heard nothing but bad news from skaters about there being nowhere to skate at. I do believe this would be a great thing for the skaters. YOU GO SONG, and may the wheels of the board carry you to your goals.
Steve Hendel
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 7:21 p.m.
Why release an RFP when you haven't even raised 10% of the funds you need to raise?
5c0++ H4d13y
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 8:04 p.m.
They have far more than 10%. They have a commitment from the county to match up to $400,000. So if tomorrow $400,000 in grants or donations come in they are within 10% of the goal.
Epengar
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 7:48 p.m.
Try to read more closely. "Rosencrans said the group is moving aggressively toward a goal of making sure it has $100,000 in its build fund before it releases a request for proposals on the project. " "Rosencrans said the language for the skate park RFP is ready to go and has been approved by all the project's partners. He's hoping it can be released soon."
Ron Granger
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 7:46 p.m.
Why inject negativity if you have nothing positive to contribute?
Atticus F.
Fri, Aug 26, 2011 : 7:02 p.m.
Bless you Mr. and Mrs. Song!