Skateboarders were stoked about the preliminary design for the City of College Park's first skate park. But news that the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission – who will be responsible for maintaining the skatepark – is strongly considering ditching the mid-sized flow bowl as part of the design, has left many local skaters feeling dejected.

Members of the skating community became angry after they learned that the skate park's project committee members -- which include College Park Senior Planner Elisa Vitale, Velocity Skate Shop owner James Grayson, and residents of College Park -- had recently received an e-mail from Vitale asking if they'd be opposed to park and planning making a number of changes to the design, including having an opening to the flow bowl or nixing it altogether. Donna Weene, a member of the project committee, explained that the issue with the bowl was a concern for safety, saying that if someone fell into the bowl, they may not be able to get out. 

 "The purpose in the first place was to give kids something to do," she said. "We're talking kids from eight to 18. It's a family park." Weene added that the bowl filling with debris was also a concern. 

Skaters were surprised to learn that the design – that all the skaters who were present and had voted on and were very happy with – might be headed back to the drawing board.

"Why didn't they chime in much earlier to make sure the design was something that they had in mind?" said Beau Sigrist, a skater from Arlington, Va., who has been attending area skate park building meetings for the last 10 years. "You have a lot of disgruntled skateboarders."

James Grayson, owner of Velocity skate shop and also a member of the project committee, said the sudden concerns over the design were ridiculous.

"For one thing, it's right next to a police station [barracks]," he said.  "They are also talking about leaves are going to get in the drain and clog it up. There are parks in Oregon and Colorado that are in much deeper forests than this one. I don't understand why after three meetings and a couple of designs they are so committed to ruin this design, when we did everything the way it was supposed to be done."

Nevertheless, Vitale said park and planning has the ultimate say in the design. 

"It's on their property and will be maintained by them," she said. "It's designed as a neighborhood park, but that doesn't mean that it wouldn't have a larger draw."