Cody Rocamontes
was 15 years old three and a half years ago. And absolutely fearless.
The Martin High
School sophomore would lug his skateboard everywhere, jumping steep stairs,
rails and ramps without thinking twice. He and his friends dreamt of someday
starting a public skatepark in Arlington.
In August 2009,
Cody was struck by a car and killed while walking near Interstate-20 to one of
his favorite skateboarding stops, a retail parking lot.
This week, his dream became reality. Cody’s
friends and family gathered with Arlington community members to dedicate the
new Cody Rocamontes Memorial Skatepark in Randol Mill Park.
Tuesday would have
been Cody’s 19th birthday.
“Cody would have
been beside himself,” said his mother, Kim Grobe. “He would have been here all
the time. This is just fabulous.”
The new 5,400-square
foot skatepark — which is the first in Arlington — includes skating and BMX
challenges for beginner and intermediate users.
The first phase of
the park includes such features as a hipped bank, a manual pad with rail, a
flat bar and park builder Spohn Ranch’s signature “skateable art” pieces Curved
Taco and Dragon Trail.
The second phase
will include a mellow ledge, stair set with rail, pole jam, euro gap, kinked
hubba, round wall and bent penny.
An estimated 18,000
people in Arlington skateboard more than once a week, and two-thirds of
respondents to a city survey said they skate on Arlington streets rather than
at skateparks in other cities.
Just ask 14-year-old
George Talevera, of Arlington, who grew up skating on streets around the city
but now hangs out at the new park almost every weekend.
“It’s a lot safer
and a lot more fun,” Talevera said. “We’re just excited to have a place to
skate.”
Taylor Haster, 18,
of Arlington, recalled trying to track down places to skate, then being kicked
out of numerous business parking lots.
“We finally have a
home,” she said.
On Tuesday, skaters
of all levels showed off their moves and feasted on grilled hot dogs and
birthday cake for Cody. Attendees sang Happy Birthday and released orange
balloons for the teenager’s favorite color.
Before a ribbon
cutting, city leaders praised the work of Cody’s friends and family, who
lobbied Arlington City Council and raised money to build the skatepark. They
even established a nonprofit, Cody Rocamontes Inc., and distributed hundreds of
orange shirts all over Arlington.
“We’re here to
celebrate the life of Cody,” Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck said. “We should
never forget Cody or his parents, and we will be reminded of them every time we
come to this park.”
(City article and photos)
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