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‘Enchantment Skateboarding’ turns parking lot into a skaters paradise

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Waiting patiently for the grand opening of skate park

Skateboarding is just one part of growing up as a kid, learning new tricks, showing them off, and hoping to go pro only adds to the excitement.

However, another part of skateboarding is where to skate without getting chased off. Let’s face it, not everyone feels the same about skateboarding, and I remember being told “don’t skate here or there.” So, where is one to go?

About a year ago, the Sun interviewed Jeremy and Cecely Todacheenie, local husband and wife, and both avid skateboarders. Skateboarding since they were kids, they created their own skateboarding company called Enchantment Skateboarding.

Both have gone professional with their skateboarding skills, and hopes their dreams rub off on others. Not only do they know of the problems facing skaters, such as finding places to skate, but they also want to help their community in a positive way – by helping area kids in developing their skill and turning negative lifestyles into productive ones.

They have created a Facebook page, in which they place videos of local skaters, and created events for skaters to show off their skills. Cecely Toadacheenie gave the Sun a heads up on their latest endeavors.

Besides Gallup and the surrounding area, skaters as far as Albuquerque come out to these events, but still there lies the problem of finding a place to skate. According to Todacheenie, the only current place available is the old Big Bear parking lot on Ninth Street, which they call now the “DIY” (Do It Yourself).

“We came across this one day and decided to clean it up and found this works for us for now,” Todacheenie said. “Everyone helps out by cleaning it up, and we’ve added some half pipes and others elements for skateboarding.”

Having a skate park here in Gallup has been a dream for the couple for quite some time. Since creating Enchantment Skateboarding, they along with others have been holding fund raising events to benefit the new skate park being built on the east end of Gallup, adjacent to the Gallup Cultural Center on Highway 66.

Initially, the skate park was scheduled for its grand opening in late August 2017, but now it might be as late September or even later due to the city needing to remove coal that was dumped there years ago.

“The coal has to be disposed of in a safe, proper way and sent either to Grants or Farmington,” Todacheenie said. “The City of Gallup is in the process of handling it and the cost of it will be extra and at this time; who will foot the bill is unknown.”

Todacheenie said if extra money is needed, perhaps they will plan another fund raiser.

“This skate park will help out the community of Gallup, and we can’t wait for it to open up.”

In the meantime, the Todacheenie’s are in the process of filming local skateboarders in preparation for the opening of the skate park.

They recently held their 2nd Annual Memorial Skate Jam July 4, for, Nicholas Humphrey, a skateboarder who died in a car accident. The event was held at the DIY, and over a 100 people came out from Thoreau, Crownpoint, and Albuquerque. Several contests were held and prizes given out.

Currently, Todacheenie is the only female here in Gallup that is sponsored by a skateboarding company, 4WheelWarPony based out of Mesa, Arizona.

For more information on Enchantment Skateboarding visit their Facebook page and find them on Instagram.

By Dee Velasco
For the Sun

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