Nathaniel Nelson/Winonan

Anthem Skatepark and Board Shop at the West Recreation Center has opened as a new venue and shop for skaters.

Two years ago, former skater Randy Kline received a call from Zach Krage, who had a vision for an indoor skate park to revitalize skating in Winona.

According to Kline, the old skate park at the East Recreation Center had dilapidated to a point of no return.

“There was no way the city was going to keep it open,” Kline said.

Krage and Kline worked together to create a plan for a new park using the West Recreation Center. Over the past few years, the building had been relatively unused with only a few occasional events.

“YMCA used it, but it was a part-time gig,” Kline said.

After months of talking with the local government, plans were made for the new skate park. Krage and Kline went to the east skate park and began tearing it down.

According to Kline, years of disrepair had shown its impact on the old park. Summer humidity and high temperatures warped the wood to a point where it was becoming dangerous.

The pair looked for any part that was reusable.

“Around 70 percent of the new park is recycled from East,” Kline said. “We took every board that was flat and not rotting.”

By recycling parts from the old park, the pair was able to cut costs on production immensely.

When it came time to build the new park, volunteers from all over Winona came to help. According to Kline, this included both adults helping the parks department and children who just wanted a place to skate again.

“Some of the kids would come help, carrying wood and doing what they could,” Kline said.

Unlike the outdoor park, the new park has an admission fee of $4 a day, with extended passes decreasing the cost. Kline said that while the cost did see some negativity from some local skaters, he and Krage worked to keep it as cheap as possible.

“We tried to beat everybody,” Kline said. “But things need to pay for themselves somehow.”

In addition to the park Krage and Kline opened up a skate shop in the same building, the West Recreation Center, 822 W. 5th St. The shop sells everything from complete skateboards to branded clothing. Kline said the concept was to create a place where skaters can use what they buy.

“There aren’t many places where you can buy something in here, and destroy it in the next room,” Kline said.

Kline and Krage researched each item, finding the cheapest price available, and then setting their price lower.

“Skateboarding isn’t a sport where you hear kids say ‘I’ve got $200, time to buy something,” Kline said. “Kids come in here with their birthday money, like ‘I’ve got $26,’ so we keep prices down for them.”

College-aged skaters have also begun to trickle in, according to Kline.

“We’re hoping to bring them in,” Kline said. “But we need to let them know we’re here.”

After seeing the East Rec Center park fall apart, Kline said he hopes the new park keeps skating going in Winona, and gives people a safe outlet to do what they enjoy.

“It’s a labor of love,” Kline said. “I’m not looking to make money, I’m doing it for the kids.”