Skating doesn’t have to be a crime in DeKalb.

In DeKalb, it’s illegal to skate in the downtown area and on any private property without permission, said Cpl. Tom Petit of the DeKalb Police Department.

However, it is completely legal to skate at Katz Park and any place where a person receives permission, he said.

The skate park at Katz Park, located on Dresser Road, opened during summer 2003, said Brad Garrison, assistant director of the DeKalb Park District.

Dan Harder, senior kinesiology and physical education major, said he often skates at Katz Park because it isn’t far from campus.

“We saw it as a win-win for the community,” Garrison said.

The skate park came about as a result of community members asking the DeKalb Park District to build a place for skating, as there wasn’t one at the time, Garrison said.

At the time, there was a problem with property damage from skating, as well as issues with people skating around the NIU campus, Garrison said.

The park district worked with community members to come up with the design, Garrison said. While designing the park, various parks were visited across the state to develop plans for a park that occupants would enjoy, Garrison said.

When the park first opened, Garrison recalls watching some experienced skaters mentor new skaters.

“It offers some challenges, but it’s a good place to learn,” Garrison said.

The approximately 15,000 square-foot park was built using in-house work for $75,000, Garrison said.

“It’s made of cement, so it’s not very forgiving,” Harder said.

However, the park is well-rounded, Harder said, and is his favorite skate park between DeKalb and most of the south suburbs.

For those who decide to skate in places that aren’t permitted, the DeKalb Police Department will issue and keep track of every warning given to offenders, Petit said. Repeat offenders will be ticketed thereafter.

The village ordinances concerning skating are available on the DeKalb Web site, Petit said.