"Save The Turf" movement making progress on saving the Turf

Since we first brought you the story of the recently unearthed—and quickly re-earthed—Turf skatepark in Greenfield, there’s been no shortage of developments in the campaign to save the legendary site. For those of you who’ve spent the past few weeks holed up in a cave (or buried under tons of gravel and a slab of concrete, as the case may be), we’ll get you up to speed:

• The newly formed Milwaukee Skateboard Association has stepped up as the official voice of the “Save The Turf” movement, and has been in contact with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. According to WisDot, the land the Turf occupied/occupies will be used as a “staging area” during a freeway expansion project, set to begin this fall. Following the project’s completion (estimated to be sometime in 2012), the land will be handed back over to the city of Greenfield.
• Greenfield Mayor Michael Neitzke seems open to the idea of preserving the park once the land is back in his hands, and has told the Milwaukee Skateboard Association that it “makes sense to explore every option to see what we can do.” Not a bad prognosis for a skatepark that was given its walking papers during the first Clinton administration.
• Support hasn’t been limited to just Milwaukee. News of the Turf’s possible comeback has mobilized old-school skaters across the country, with heavy hitters like pro riders Lance Mountain and Jeff Grosso voicing their support. Ditto for a fine fellow named Tony Hawk, whom you may have heard of.
  
• A stellar “Save the Turf” benefit show has been scheduled for Sept. 10 at the Cactus Club, featuring Call Me Lightning, Get Rad, and No Future. No word yet on whether the Titus Skate Band or Skatemaster Tate and the Concrete Crew will make surprise appearances. (Come on, we can’t be the only ones who remember these groups.) Either way, consider us stoked.