David Small carves a future for skating

For Davidson Small, the current skate park in Sisters "just doesn't cut it."

But the Sisters High School senior isn't complaining about it; he wrote the grant proposal to the Tony Hawk Foundation for the construction of a new skate park. The facility will be located just behind the Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) building near Sisters High School.

With help from SPRD, the City of Sisters, and the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce, Small was able to gather all the information necessary to complete the proposal.

"Writing the grant was a learning process; it took a lot more work that I thought it would," Small said.

Small's optimism and persistence come from his love of skating.

"It's unlike any other sport," he said. "It takes dedication. You can't do a trick the first time you try it. It takes practice."

Small channeled that dedication toward the grant and project. His hard work paid off. The Tony Hawk Foundation awarded the Sisters Skate Park project with $10,000, and the grant garnered a match from the Bob and Yvette Chandler family. The City of Sisters also contributed their support with a $2,500 grant to cover permits and fees.

Anne Heath, executive director of SPRD, praised Small's diligence.

"He has been so positive about all the tasks it takes to write the grant," she said. "He's grown a lot through the process."

Small said he is sure to use the lessons he learned through this experience in his future. He listed the skills the project has taught him: "grant-writing, for sure, and civics, public speaking, and project management." He also appreciated the chance to sharpen his professionalism and communication skills.

Small serves as the current chair of the Skate Park Committee, a volunteer group of high school students and advisors, and the driving force behind the plans for the new skate park.

The committee was started last year when two high school students, Preston Ferris and Scott Everson, came to Sisters High School teacher Daniel O'Neill with the idea to build a new park.

O'Neill was hesitant to take the project on.

"When they came to me wanting to build a park I was realistically doubtful," he said. "I knew it would be a lot of work and I wasn't sure how far they would take it."

The results were not the wipeout O'Neill expected. The students were able to gather significant support from SPRD, the City of Sisters, the Sisters City Council and other community members to get the project off the ground.

"I've learned to never be surprised by the energy and the passion of the youth and how much this community will support them," said O'Neill.

When it came to the design of the park, the students were bolstered by O'Neill's experience. A serious skater for 25 years, O'Neill has built a skate park of sorts in his own backyard.

With the design in process and the community on board, Ferris and Everson passed the torch to Small as they graduated. Now the future of the park is more concrete than ever. With a portion of the funds in place, the Skate Park Committee is on track to kick off Phase I in the spring.

For her part, Anne Heath of SPRD is excited for the value the project will add to the parks and community.

"The skate park will broaden the variety of activities SPRD can offer," she said.

Heath also noted that skaters are always on the lookout for an excuse for a good road trip.

"If it's a quality park, skaters from out of the area will come to stay in Sisters," she said. "They will have a significant economic impact on our town."

Davidson Small is just as interested in the effect the park will have on the local community of skaters.

"I'm hoping it will spark more interest in Sisters and influence more kids to start skating," he said.

He envisions a living park that will keep expanding throughout the future, catering to future generations of skaters.

"What makes this park special and unique," O'Neill added, "is that it's really designed and built by kids."

The committee needs to raise an additional $40,000 to complete their fundraising goals. Outside of cash donations, they are seeking in-kind contributions of specific items such as gloves, shovels, and a storage unit. For more information, or to make a donation, contact Anne Heath at 541-549-2091 or [email protected]