Skateboarding legend offers help with park

New York City skateboarding legend Harry Jumonji said he would use his connections in the skateboarding industry to help get equipment for the Harmison Field skate park.

His announcement was made at a Thursday, May 13 event hosted by Berkeley Springs Tattoo & Skate Company attended by nearly 50 people.

Shop owners Laura Talbert and Jason Roderick are donating a half-pipe ramp to the skate park, which may open as soon as next month.

Talbert and Roderick recently purchased the tattoo business and have added a skateboarding section to the shop.

Jumonji’s message
Talbert invited Jumonji to visit Berkeley Springs in hopes of gaining his support for the local skate park.

Born in Brazil, Jumonji was a surfer before he became a skateboarder. He told of coming from a broken home and of his troubled youth.

“Skateboarding saved my life,” he said.

Jumonji autographed skateboards, photos and posters with positive messages for kids and adults. Jumonji encouraged people to get involved and help build the skate park by donating time, labor and equipment.

“It’s a We Thing, like building a pyramid,” he said.

Eight skate parks were built in New York City because of his fellow skateboarder Andy Kessel, who has since died.

Talbert said they wanted to help Morgan County Parks & Recreation provide a safe place for kids to go and more things for them to do locally.

One teen at the event said they needed a place to skate and bike where they wouldn’t be asked by police to leave.

Progress
Acting Parks & Recreation director Bruce Beadenkopf said the skate park had been graded and a preliminary layer of stone had been put down.
Work has begun on the rain garden, which is being installed to prevent soil erosion and clean the run-off water. Asphalt will be poured as soon as weather permits.

Town of Bath Mayor Susan Webster and her husband Pete Moss were happy to see the skate park moving forward.

Their son Aaron Webster Moss, who died in February, was a skateboard enthusiast. He was involved with other young people in a group called BS2, which was active in early efforts to build a park.
Talbert told the gathering that the skate park would be dedicated in memory of Moss.

Such a dedication would need to be discussed by the Parks & Recreation board, Beadenkopf said.

The half-pipe ramp that Talbert and Roderick are donating may be dedicated to him, he said.

Organizers excited
Money that was received for such a park in the past was recently turned over to Parks & Recreation, Webster said.

Shepherd University senior Kevin Wurster was one of the original skate park organizers. He was excited to see that the skate park was actually happening and said he would use it.

Jennie Mallory, another original BS2 organizer, said she has traveled 90 minutes to get to a skate park. Her skills have gotten rusty since she hasn’t had a proper place to skate, she said.

“I’m looking forward to having it right near where I live,” Mallory said.
Original skate park organizer and BMX rider Matt Hovermale said it has been a long road for the skate park, and he’s excited that something is happening.

“It breathes new life into the BMX and skate scene,” he said.

Hovermale and his friends have had to travel to Leesburg or Baltimore to get to a good park. He hoped the park would promote the town and the sports.