It’s Tuesday afternoon and almost-rush hour traffic zooms down the offramp of I-110 at Convention Street. Adam Taylor, or as his friends call him, Fat Tony, rides his bike up an incline along the off-ramp, scales a makeshift concrete bike ramp and catches air merely inches away from speeding motorists.
His bike touches down perfectly and he makes his way back to the safety of level ground underneath the interstate as motorists look on shocked and alarmed.
His friend, Brock Gomez, soon follows him up the incline, hits the ramp and does a few stunts in mid-air before nailing a perfect landing.
No, these guys aren’t attempting daredevil stunts. Actually, Fat Tony said this is one of the few areas in Baton Rouge where they can pursue their love – street riding.
But Fat Tony, Gomez and others hope to change all of that.
Along with Baton Rouge Recreation and the Skatepark Association of Baton Rouge, the group is working to build a skate park for BMX enthusiasts and skaters.
SABR is a non-profit organization designed to bring skaters and BMX riders together through community projects and efforts.
BREC and SABR’s initial plan was to build a small park in Baton Rouge to occupy riders and skaters while they worked on a larger, permanent, concrete park. BREC offered the space on Perkins Road known as the Velodrome to begin construction. They received grant offers and support from a company members would not name.
As SABR finalized plans for the park earlier this semester, the grants failed because of a disagreement between the companies and the organizations.
Fat Tony, a graphics design junior and BMX rider, has dedicated himself to the completion of this project as a member of SABR. He said one of their ideas for raising money was to ask 100 people in the skating community to donate $100.
He said plenty of people already have donated a few hundred dollars to the cause, but they still have a long way to go.
Fat Tony has two Web sites, www.thafat1.com and www.louisianabmx.com, where he describes the project and encourages people to get involved as much as possible.
He said the park will provide more than just a place to ride or skate – it will provide younger kids a place to experience things they would not otherwise get to experience.
“This park will give kids the chance to find the joy in bike riding that I experience on a daily basis. It’s great to see younger kids ride or skate around a park with a big smile on their face. It’s pure innocence. They aren’t out getting in trouble or doing things like drinking and smoking that hurts them. They are just having a good time riding their bikes,” Fat Tony said.
“I just really want people to realize that it is not impossible to have a park,” Gomez said. “We also want to open the door for other cities to have their own parks.”
Gomez and Fat Tony have traveled around the country to experience different skate parks. They believe if Baton Rouge skaters and bikers prove they can have their own park, other cities will follow their lead.
Reno Broussard, owner of Urban 9, a skating and apparel shop on Government Street also is a member of SABR. Broussard has helped raise funds by raffling off items from his own shop.
He said the most important thing to him is community involvement in the project.
“I’d really like to see younger kids and their parents get involved,” Broussard said.
BREC and SABR along with support from the skating and biking community are determined to make this project work. They hold meetings every Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at CiCi’s Pizza on Corporate Blvd., and ask anyone interested in the project to participate.
BREC and SABR have worked to get a grant and a corporate sponsor for the project. They received several promising offers, but none have worked out so far, including the recent one which fell through as final plans began.
“We’re disappointed and angry, but we can’t let this stop us,” Fat Tony said.
Now, the team has reassessed the project and the plans have changed.
“After working so hard to just get the small park built, we’ve decided to work for the big one instead,” Fat Tony said.
With the hard work and dedication of BREC, SABR and many people from the community, the group expects to complete the skate park by the beginning of next year. Fat Tony held several fund raising events at his home, the first was last Friday featuring Every Beautiful Bullet and Same Dull Star.
Fat Tony said the project is very crucial to him because bike riding is so important to him.
“Bike riding is pretty much the most important part of my life, and everything else revolves around it,” Fat Tony said. “It’s going to be very rewarding once the park is built and I know that I was a part in getting it there. It’s just one small step in building up the BMX community here in Baton Rouge.”
Anyone interested in helping with the project or making a donation should contact Fat Tony at [email protected] or visit www.thafat1.com, or contact Gary Patureau, organizer of SABR at [email protected].