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After 10 years of debate, fund-raising, planning and construction and seemingly endless delays, Houma’s new Fireman’s Skate and Bike Park opened Friday. A crowd of parents tried to contain youngsters clearly eager to show off their skills on bicycles, skateboards and scooters.
After a brief ceremony, Bayou Cane Fire Chief Ken Himel rang the firemen’s bell signifying the official opening and skaters swarmed the facility.
“This is his dream come true,” Leslie Gautreaux said of her late husband, Bayou Cane District Fire Chief Jerry Gautreaux, who was the inspiration of the park.
Jerry Gautreaux died in March 2010 after battling brain cancer. He left $10,000 in his will to start funding for a skate park in Houma. He was a strong advocate for skateboarders, who had no place to legally skate in Houma, often encouraging them to use his fire station’s outdoor area to practice.
In 2006, the fire chief started a grassroots effort to build a local skate park. Community meetings in support of the park were held at the Bayou Cane fire station.
Fliers were handed out reminding the community, “If Houma doesn’t have a skate park, Houma is a skate park.”
A website was subsequently created, and local interest grew.
Soon, parish and state government dedicated money for the project.
“There were three more things we needed to make this park a reality,” said Gary Beeson, president of Recreation Districts 1 and 3. “Number 1, passion, and for that, I think Michel Claudet; number 2, dedication, with many thanks to Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government senior planner Chris Pulaski; and number 3, love and devotion, and for that I will always thank Jerry Gautreaux.”
The fire chief’s brother, Ron Gautreaux, smiled as he told of the pair’s love for skateboarding.
“In 1963, we were making our own skateboards,” he said. “We just nailed skate wheels to a piece of wood. We never had nothing like this.”
Eddie Snyder closed his Houma skateboard shop, Skate Days, to attend the ceremony.
He noted “how excited the skaters have ben anticipating this day.”
“I’ve been waiting 18 years for Houma to get a skate park,” Bryan Bourg, 32, said. “I’ve always had to go out of town to Harvey, Lafayette or Baton Rouge. This is going to bring back everyone I used to skate with.”
On opening day, those using the park ranged in age from Landon Simmons, 6, and his sister Layla, 8, to Ricky Turner, 59, who was skateboarding despite fighting bone marrow cancer. The disease has left him with 15 fractured vertebrae and nine broken ribs.
“The cancer limits my workouts,” he said, casually, “but God’s not finished with me yet.”
Cajun Rollergirls Delerium Trigger heralded the park’s opening.
“It’s great to have another place to roll our wheels,” she said.
At least one parent voiced concerns about the skate park’s future.
“I’m looking to see what kind of monitoring is involved,” parent Daniel Bourgeois said. “Without some kind of supervision it could turn into a bad place for kids if a bad element starts hanging out here.”
As the sun set on Friday’s skate park opening, youngsters were more focused on hurtling through the air or running into each other. Looking on, Jerry Gautreaux’s family watched, realizing that his dream had finally come true and it was a fireman who lit the fuse.
Jimi Verdin, 13, of Houma, gets airborne Friday shortly after the opening of the Fireman’s Skate and Bike Park.
