Ask Mr. Answer Person: "Has there been any progress on improving the skateboard park?"

Marty e-mails Mr. Answer Person: "It's been a few months since a letter to the editor was published in the Decorah newspaper, written by Kaleb Michel ofg Decorah and talking about improving the skatepark.  I've just been wondering how the process has been going and what community members think about it."

Mr. Answer Person says: "Was it really in 2001 that the skateboard park was installed in Decorah?  That probably means the equipment is beginning to show some signs of wear.

But having said that, let's discuss some of the realities of City of Decorah government, which controls the funding for the Decorah Parks & Recreation Department and the parks that it operates.

In short, the city doesn't have a lot of available money, so any improvements to the skateboard park are probably going to have to come about because of private fundraising.  That's not impossible--the original skateboard equipment was installed in 2001 because of fundraising by skateboard enthusiasts.

So if you and others think the skateboard park equipment is getting a little beat up and needs replacing, it would be good to organize a group of supporters, such as the Trails From Freeport committee has done.  TFF held another fundraiser over the weekend and has already raised nearly $100,000 towards building an extension of Trout Run Trail into Freeport.

So tell the public what equipment you think you need, how much that equipment will cost--and then go about asking people to donate money towards your cause.

Good luck!