Local youngsters with a passion for skateboarding gathered names on a petition asking public officials to consider building a skateboarding park for them in the Massapequas. For several years, young skateboarders in the Massapequas have been looking for a park of their own. Within many business districts, including Front Street in Massapequa Park it is illegal to skateboard and these enthusiasts are discouraged from exercising their passion in local parks.

But it's by no means a new problem. Joe Pappalardo, the father of 25-year old professional skateboarder Anthony Pappalardo, said that finding a place to skate was a problem a dozen years ago.

"My son moved out of Massapequa when he was 18 because there was nowhere to skate and the police were always chasing him away," said Pappalardo, who owns Pappalardo's Pizza Cove in North Massapequa. "I'd much rather have him skating then hanging out and doing drugs and getting into trouble. He would definitely be in support of the kids having a skate park in the Massapequa area."

One local mom, Jane Bilella-Fitzpatrick of Massapequa Park is staying and fighting the issue here, however. She recently won a court case allowing her to keep her son Matthew's skateboarding ramp in her yard after the Village of Massapequa Park asked her to take it down, and now she's going to Town and Village officials to ask them to consider building a park for skate boarders.

"We have about 1,000 signatures for a skate park in the area," said the single mom of three. "The closest one is Tanner Park in Copiague and the younger kids can't get there unless their parents are around. There has to be somewhere for them to go. "

"A park would be great," said Pedro Olivares, the dad of 9-year-old skater, Daniel. "Now I sit in my car and wait for him to be done skating to make sure he doesn't get in trouble or hit by a car."

In 2004, the Village, concerned about the safety of not only the skateboarders but also pedestrians, prohibited skateboarding along Park Boulevard. Summonses were issued to youngsters riding skateboards. In July of last year, in an effort to further discourage this type of activity on Park Boulevard, the Village installed metal straps around the planters, making it impossible for skateboarders to jump from the side- walk onto the planters, which many had been doing.

In addition, the Village was concerned about the half pipe at Bilella-Fitzpatrick's home, saying it violated local laws and was a potential danger and safety hazard. She was issued summonses for maintaining the structure.

Village officials said that they have been approached about putting in a skateboard park but have been unable to find a suitable location for one. The youngsters believe they have a solution: utilizing a sump area either in the Village or the Town Oyster Bay, something that has been done in the past.

"In Mineola they used a sump to install baseball fields last year," said Bilella-Fitzpatrick. "And in 1999, soccer fields were installed over a sump at Our Lady of Lourdes in Massapequa."

"We'd even be able to charge a fee to get in and make money," said 11-year-old skater Kevin Gibbons who was out with his fellow skateboarders gathering names for the petition.

Bilella-Fitzpatrick intends to also ask the Town of Oyster Bay, and plans to attend a town meeting this week, bringing some of the young skateboarders with her. They're hoping that some of the SEA-Fund monies, recently approved by voters, could be put toward building a park.

Skateboarders have their own venue- X Games and the Gravity Games. Some are even trying to get skateboarding into the 2012 Olympics. "There are more than 100 kids in the area who skate... we just wish we had somewhere to go and not get in trouble," said 12-year old Anthony Exposito.