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New banner program to fund operations of city skate park
by Robb Fulcher
The promoters of a prominent beach sports event have agreed to pay $10,000 to hang a large advertising sign inside the Hermosa Beach Skate Park for one year, as the city launches a program designed to pay for the park's day-to-day operation.
The banner space, bought by International Management Group of Los Angeles, will be used to advertise the annual Mervyn's Beach Bash, a four-day festival of volleyball, music and extreme sports, which debuted in Hermosa last June.
The banner, which is scheduled to go up soon, is "very attractive," said Mary Rooney, assistant city manager and community resources director.
"They cleared the design with us," she said. "It has skaters, and in small print it says 'Beach Bash.' It's very subtle."
The city plans to sell three other yearlong advertising spots, at $5,000 a pop, along the fences inside the park. All the advertising spots together will cover the park's operating expenses of $25,000 a year, most of which goes to pay for recreation workers.
Since the opening last June of the 8,000 square-foot concrete park at Pier Avenue and Ardmore, local private sponsors have donated safety equipment for skaters and money for special events.
Prominent local sponsors have included the Kiwanis, Hennessey's Tavern, Fat Face Fenner's Fishack, the Treasure Chest, Hermosa Cyclery & Skate Shop, and Hermosa's reserve police corps.
The park's $100,000 construction cost was paid for through a fund for parklands and recreation items, fed in part by taxes on new construction and by grant money left over after the city paid for its greenbelt parkway.
The park's school-season hours are 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, and noon to 7 p.m. weekends; the park can also be rented for $60 an hour by calling (310) 318-0280. ER