Russ Johnson and the skaters of Brookings are in the uphill battle of skatepark politics.  Brookings has a large retirement community, the City Manager who was supportive of a skatepark is leaving and the skating population in general has lost much of its faith in the skatepark's future.  Russ, who runs the local surf and skate shop, Sessions Surf, is preparing to start again from scratch.
  The retired community is apparently a salty bunch, which recently shot down a bond measure for a junior college, and most likely not in favor of skateboarding.  The local business owners are also upset at having to chase skaters from their property on a daily basis.
  But this hasn't stopped Russ' optimism, claiming "Brookings will have a skatepark."  He has spoken a bit with Mark Scott and Dreamland Designs who expressed interest.   Russ would rather have no facility than a half (junky) facility, an exceptional and proper attitude.  This is the attitude that makes Oregon a great place to skate, the attitude that builds skateparks like Ashland, Burnside and Lincoln City.
    Russ on good terms with the Mayor of Brookings.  The city wants to build a skatepark, but they need to get over a hump, both finacial and community momentum.  A location was confirmed 3 month ago but a key donation from the Elks Club fell through, so the city has had to renew its search for a skatepark site.  Brookings is close.
    Ideally, the skatepark design would start at 10,000 square feet, said Russ, in relation to Jacksonville's 5,000 feet square feet.  "But they [Jacksonville] has room to grow."

    Sessions Surf  Company is Russ' local surf and skate shop.  Sessions has other plans, too.  Russ was serious but light hearted when he told the story of Brookings great 300 yard surf break that was recently dynamited because, in the span of a week, a fisherman sunk his boat and the Coast Guard grounded on it.  He pointed out that El Segundo, California has an artificial reef.  Russ explained the benefits of making an artifical reef from cement-filled tires, it gives a use to old tires and it wouldn't hurt if you tumbled -or motored- across them.