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CITY PA GES
NO PLACE TO
SKATE — AGAIN
County Closes Skaters’
Hangout Studio E
Wednesday. May 20. saw the end of local
residents’ second attempt at supplying
Athens with a community skate park. Studio
E. located in the upstairs space of the
Buckhead Beach building on Oconee Street,
was shut down on the orders of Fire Marshal
Johnny Pritchett after he deemed it an
“immediate life safety hazard." citing struc
tural and wiring problems, lack of properly
designated exits and no certificate of occu
pancy among other problems
Studio E came about as skateboarders’
and bikers’ reaction to rumors of the
impending demise of the Skate Park of
Athens, or SPOA. at the intersection of
Pulaski and Hancock streets. The home
made ramps at SPOA were indeed torn down
last month to make way for parking for the
Widespread Panic Concert
Nick (ilass, co-owner of the skate shop
Ampt. rented the Buckhead Beach space
Local skateboarders donated both time and
money to help build a new ramp Studio E
was dedicated to the memory of William
Klvo Clarke, a local skater who died while
working at a construction site in central
Georgia
“We wanted to provide the community
with a service, because the city wasn’t doing
it,* (ilass told Flagpole
According to Marshal Pritchett, the
Buckhead Beach space was due for its annu
al inspection. Upon entering Studio E, the
inspector discovered a flyer for an upcoming
show with a cover charge and a list of rules
that included a $3 per day fee. Although
Pritchett considered Nick Glass to be run
ning .1 business and cited Studio F. fos not
having a license, the main reason for the
county’s action is the continuous assembly
of people who skated and hung out at the
s|»ace.
“Therr's too much danger of someone
getting hurt.’ Pritchett said “The moment
that happens, the city is liable."
For those involved with Studio E there is
a question of timing regarding this decision.
For the past few years. Pritchett said, the
city considered the space to be vacant.
However, during that time, numerous bands
have rehearsed and thrown parties there.
Pritchett contends that the city is responsi-
ble for the ins|>ection of over 3.0(H) buildings,
and in some cases, if there is no sign of activ
ity or occupancy when the inspector arrives,
a building is simply labeled vacant
"Just the ramp is ja] sign of assembly"
Pritchett explained “If it had been just a
band practicing up there, we probably
wouldn’t have shut it down, but there were
just too many people coming in and out for
us to regard it as safe."
Although Studio E is allowed to reopen if
the space is brought up to code, Glass con
siders the building to be too small and run
down to lie worth investing money in it.
“It’s time to move on to something else."
he said. “I think the next big challenge is to
convince the city that it needs a funded
skate park." (John Britt)
RE BIRTH OF
THE FILM FEST
Next Year, a New Name and a
New Lease on Life
Despite premature rumors of its death,
the Athens Rim Festival will return for a sec
ond year this fall Rather, make that an
Athens Film Festival
Paul Marchant, 21. former associate direc
tor of the Athens Film Festival, and Todd
Campbell. 29. its former program director,
told Flagpole that this year's event will be
called the Kudzu Film Festival Legally, it is a
totally separate entity from the Athens Film
Festival Corporation, the troubled nonprofit
set up to run the 1997 event In spirit, howev
er. Campbell said. Kud/.u will be "as similar
as we can make it (to last year's festival)
abbadabba’s
Little 5 Pts Buckhead Roswell Gwinnett
770-623 0033 http .//coo WSocs com
Beginners
and Groups
broadriver.com
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B FLAGPOLE MAY 27, 1998
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