Back then nasty things were said, the laws of physics were ignored and stereotypes were professed as reasonable rationale fears. For the record, the park hasn't impacted our town or its citizenry in a particularly negative way. The fears of drugs and violence have proven unfounded. There are issues but they seem no more unusual than when any group gathers. In fact I've noticed some of those who feared the park and its inhabitants now wander over to watch the riders.
Irony lives on.
This event, in several ways, helped heal Salida. The rowdiest thing there was the music. The atmosphere of the Concrete Challenge reminded me of a loud circus. Cheers combined with gasps of incredulity as the jesters sweated. The crowd was a decidedly mixed group.