Skateboard film benefits Surf City skate park

Skateboarders present city with $2,500 in proceeds from their movie about traveling from Huntington Beach to New York.

By ANNIE BURRIS
The Orange County Register

HUNTINGTON BEACH A group of professional skateboarders that filmed their travels across America has given the city $2,500 for a planned skateboard area in Worthy Park.

The check was from proceeds of "The Weenabago Projekt 2/Crossing America,'' a movie that highlights the adventures of pros Tosh Townend, Chris Senn, Neen Williams and Pat Pasquale as they drive a 1970s recreational vehicle from Surf City to New York.

"Crossing America" premiered at the Regency Theater in Huntington Beach Aug. 6, with 50 percent of the proceeds going toward the skateboard park, said Townend, a Huntington Beach native. About 300 people attended the two showings of the film.
"We wanted to show the city we were doing something positive," Townend said about the donation, made at Wednesday's Huntington Beach Community Services Commission meeting.

The commission approved preliminary plans for the skateboarding area in Worthy Park. The City Council will have the final vote.

Fundraising efforts for a new park kicked off after the Huntington Beach Union High School District announced its plans to demolish the popular downtown skateboard park at High Beach High to make way for a $7.5 million stadium remodel.

The total budget for the skateboard park is expected to be more than $1 million. The city already has $75,000 promised to them from the Huntington Beach Union High School District.

About $1,000 was raised from the Surf City film showing, but Townend made up the difference to give the city $2,500.

"We already did Crossing America when we heard about (the skate park) being torn down, so why not do a function for the skate park," he said.

Check out the trailer of Crossing America at crossingamerica2.com or myspace.com/crossing_america.