By Krystle J Bailey
New paint, installed lights, and portapotties are just a few of the improvements soon to be made at Back Sov skatepark on Sovereign Avenue in Atlantic City. The once run down park has been nurtured back to life with the help and love of Skate AC, a non-profit 501c3.
Along with the community of volunteers and avid skateboarders, Skate AC members have worked relentlessly to provide a safe space for skaters of all ages to gather. The park’s popularity has grown over the last several years with the addition of regular park cleanups and free skate lessons as well as fundraisers and community events.
This year, the Skate AC community is looking to raise funds for further improvements at Back Sov. The fundraiser, which began on November 2, has raised over $5,000 via GoFundMe. The raised money will provide more lighting, enhanced concrete reinforcements on ramps, bathrooms, snack stand improvements, and a new paint job. Security cameras were recently installed at the adjacent Boys and Girls Club in order to improve safety measures in the surrounding area.
In an interview earlier this year, Skate AC President Jay Klotz said, “We are providing opportunities that my friends and I didn’t have growing up around here. There were limiting beliefs about skateboarding culture, so we always felt like we didn’t have a place to belong. We try our best to make sure the kids around here feel appreciated.”
Back Sov has been home to the local skateboarding community for years. As renovations and improvements continue, the Skate AC team looks forward to using it as a prototype for forthcoming local skateparks.
“We’re interested in providing safe skateparks and plazas all over this area,” shares Klotz who has a goal of building new skateparks in Ventnor, Egg Harbor Township, Somers Point, and other surrounding municipalities.
“Most sports require order, rules, teams, and officials,” explains Klotz. “With skateboarding, you just show up with your board and you’re in your happy place.”
The goal of the fundraiser is $15,000. Skate AC members are seeking the support of city officials, local businesses, and community contributors to help make this dream skatepark a reality.
This park is special to a lot of people from the new kids on the block to those who have been skating Back Sov for years. It’s more than a place for skaters to put down their wheels. It’s where they come to find solace, an escape, and a healthy dose of serotonin. Fundraising supporters left heartfelt messages of what Back Sov Skatepark means to them.
“I donate because my son Lou Fermonte got involved in the effort to bring a skate park to Atlantic City back in 2012,” shares Jill Fermonte. “As a family we support the effort as much as possible. Today Lou has a 6 month old son, my grandson Sunny. That boy is already going to Back Sov. We need to make sure there are lights and bathroom facilities and more there for all the new future skaters.”
“For me, Back Sov is more than just a skatepark. I see it as our future,” explains Lou Fermonte. “It’s where I plan on teaching my son about life, resiliency, passion, community, and all the other positive life lessons skateboarding has taught me.”
Visit SkateAC.org for more information about Skate AC along with videos of recent renovations, upcoming events, and how you can donate.
Krystle J Bailey. Multimedia journalist, Author, Poet.
Connect with Krystle on Instagram @thedailybailey5
