Brian Beck, Tulare Recreation Supervisor: "I've come to find out that there really is a need out there for the youth and hopefully they come out here and use it and it's really cleaned up this area and brought a new type of style to the area."
Merchants in Tulare have found the new park has taken skateboarders off downtown streets.
Jerry Magoon, Downtown Merchant: "I've seen a decrease in some of the merchant friends have seen a very substantial decrease."
Downtown store owners say some skateboarders used to disrupt businesses.
Jerry Magoon: "They went into the parks and the businesses and the tower square and other places where they shouldn't be and did damage to concrete we had that all over our downtown…and this is going to help us immensely."
Downtown merchants still see a few skateboarders around town and it might be because of one of the park's strict rules. The park is free but you have to have a helmet plus elbow and knee pads if you want to come in.
Brian Beck: "Compared to an open park, open parks anybody can come in it can kind of turn into a hang out. It's nice to have a supervisor to enforce the rules. We have rules about the helmets and the elbow pads and that's to protect the kids. That's for the kid's safety.
The park even offers extra knee and elbow pads kids can borrow in case they forget to bring their own.
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