Scores of adolescents enjoyed a day of extreme delight at the October 28 grand opening of the skate park built adjacent to Ajijic’s Malecon promenade.
Billed as one of the best of its genre in the lakeshore region and urban landscapes beyond, the facility boasts a variety of surface shapes and obstacles, including ramps, steps, ledges, rails, flat space, a rounded mogul and a deep bowl to challenge skateboarders of every skill level.
The concrete track was constructed with government financing and manpower, with design input from local expert skateboarders. The cost of the project ran at 1,120,000 pesos, covered in a 50/50 split between the municipal government and the federal government’s Rescue of Public Spaces program.
During a brief official ribbon cutting ceremony, Mayor Joaquin Huerta announced that use of the park will be guided by a slate of safety rules, and kept under constant vigilance of local police. With the formalities over, the opening day event continued with a tournament for beginner and experienced skateboarders, an urban art demo and painting contest and a program of live music entertainment featuring hip-hop, rap and rock artists.