GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The sound of skateboards and scooters fill the air at the Green Bay Action Sports Organization for one last time.
Monday marks the last day for skaters to get their fill, before GBASO shuts its doors — for now.
Local skateboarders will have to move outdoors until a new, permanent indoor facility is found.
The sports organization has been located in the same building on Ashland Avenue for eight years.
During that time the building has been for sale, and now, it finally sold.
Adrien Eggener has been coming here for most of his life.
He says a new home for the skate park may be for the better.
“We’re going to be able to find another building,” said Eggener. “Hopefully it’ll be nicer and we’ll be able to get more ramps and features in the park and we’ll be able to learn more and do more.”
The organization has been attempting to raise money to find a new permanent home.
“We need to stay open and we’re doing the most we can to be able to do that,” said Eric Peters, the head skateboarding coach.
He says the main reason why they want a place to go is because of the positive impact skating has on kids.
“There’s so many kids that come here that didn’t fit in traditional sports and they find their home here,” said Peters. “It’s amazing because we’re working on teaching them something that’s very scary, but in a safe way.”
Although skating at this building may be over, Peters says this is not the end of GBASO.
“We’re just staring to plan being able to have classes and lessons at outdoor parks and we’ll also have a mobile skate park we’re setting up in the community,” said Peters.
This may be Green Bay’s only indoor skate park, but it isn’t the only skate park.
Joannes Park has an outdoor one — but Adrian says there’s no comparison to GBASO.
“This is home,” said Eggener.
The organization is open from 12 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Monday before the teardown on Tuesday.
An online fundraiser has been created to assist GBASO for a new home.
