(7/25) Fundraising in July for a proposed skate park to be created in Thurmont produced hundreds of dollars towards the teenage-driven project.

Stacie Zelenka reported that proponents of a proposed skateboard park (also called a skatepark) in Thurmont have raised $11,450 since the project was proposed before the town commissioners in April, two of the fundraisers having produced more than $1,400 in July alone.

Zelenka’s son, Maceo, a junior at Catoctin High School, was among the more than a dozen other Catoctin High School students who attended the April 13 commissioners’ meeting when the proposal to establish a skateboard park was initially presented.

Zelenka stated that during July, two major fundraisers involving local businesses had been held. Josh Bollinger/Bollinger’s Restaurant held a week-long fundraiser in which 25 percent of sales – amounting to $400 – was donated to the skateboard park project. Rob and Sherry Myers and Thurmont Country Kitchen held a fundraiser on July 16, ultimately donating $1,000.

The board was in the process of approving the expenditure of Project Open Space money on Phase II improvements at Woodland playground replacement project, when the board recognized a 15-year-old student who approach the podium with an alternate suggestion.

The 15-year-old Catoctin High School student, Patrick Dugan, told the board, "Our town has lots of nice parks … but the one thing we do not have is a skatepark," adding, "I feel it would also help with our economy because people would come from all around to skateboard and they would eat lunch at the businesses, and people would also come here and say "This is a place I might want to live because they have a skateboard park and it’s good for teenagers."

East End Park was suggested as a potential location, and that fund-raising, along with POS funds, could ultimately provide financing in order to create the park.

The consensus of the board was to pursue Dugan’s wishes. Commissioner Martin Burns said, "For me, it was an easy sell. What I would like to see is a comprehensive look at something like this. If we are going to do it, let’s not do it half-way."

The proposal, supported by the teens as well as family members, town Parks & Recreation Commission member Amie McDaniels, Police Department Sergeant Dave Armstrong, as well as the board of commissioners, began to "pick-up steam" and wind its way towards becoming a reality.