Dan Dever Memorial Skate Park in Othello a good idea

OTHELLO — The Dan Dever Memorial Skate Park in Othello was opened to the public earlier this year, and it is drawing lots of young skateboarders.

It is a 6,000-square-foot skate park with a double stair set, 7 1/2-foot bowl, bank ramp and grind rail.

The park has a reputation of drawing people who have never skated in a park before. Fern and Paul, both 20, live in Othello and like skating in the park and recording themselves on video.

“We just started skating a couple months ago,” both said. “We have skated before but not in a bowl.”

Fern added: “This park is pretty cool and people from Mose Lake come here to skate because they like our park better.”

Paul commented: “This is a really nice skate park.”

Youths from surrounding schools skate after school. Teenagers come to the park to hang out, skate and have fun.

“That’s what it’s all about, having fun,” Fern said.

One developing Othello Skate Park star so far is a young boy named Allen from Othello. The 11-year-old just started skateboarding a few months ago and now drops in on the bowl and does 50/50s on the edges of the walls. He can do a lot of tricks the pros do.

Youngsters use their different talents at the park. They skateboard, rollerblade or ride bikes in the skating bowl.

The park was designed by Spohn Ranch Parks and was built in honor of late Othello City Councilman Dan Dever. He led the early planning and development of the park until his passing in May of 2014.