With the burgeoning scene downtown, it is easy to miss exciting developments in areas further from the city center. One such development is the new skate facility founded and operated by Tim Simmons, the Schoolyard Skate Park, 4033 35th St. N. Suite B. The ambitious Simmons hopes that the facility will serve as a beacon to the local skateboard community that will turn St. Petersburg into a skate mecca the likes of Los Angeles and New York. I had the pleasure to meet with Tim at the Schoolyard recently about his vision for the place.

“I wanted to take all my experience skating, building and working with kids and create a hub for the community, just like I saw at the skate park where I grew up," Tim says. The park is quickly growing into a respected community center in the eyes of the young skaters that frequent it and their parents. In regards to the chosen name of the park, Tim says, “I wanted to combine ideas from my past so I thought, the name, that’s going to be the Schoolyard. It’s going to be an homage to the school yard my friends and I skated in growing up.”

Tim set up shop in St. Pete because he loved the vibe of the city, but was struck by the dearth of indoor skate options available when he first visited on a business trip. “I saw a few local skate parks, but no indoor ones. There wasn’t something like I had in mind to build in St. Pete, and I felt like there was a big enough interest in skateboarding to where I could make it work.” The sweat Tim and his family have put in is paying off and the Schoolyard continues to grow into the hub that Tim envisions.

Tim has enlisted the help of some notable local names to enhance the atmosphere of the skate facility. Three local artists; Thirst, Sebastian Coolidge and Steven Palladino have lent their skills to the murals that decorate the walls of the skate enclave. Another notable local involved is skate icon Tommy Wray, who teaches the majority of the classes and camps hosted by the Schoolyard. The classes are held every Saturday for $25 dollars, while the camps are held over school breaks in addition to any days off the students will have throughout the year. With the abundance of local talent and positive energy, the Schoolyard may become the bastion of skateboarding that Tim Simmons knows it can be.

Article and photos contributed by Padraic Fitzgerald; aspiring writer, anthropologist and gym enthusiast.

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