Rail jam draws snowboarders to new park

St Cloud MN - While Billy Kum of St. Cloud didn’t snowboard Sunday, he enjoyed all the action he saw at the Riverside Rail Jam.

By TaLeiza Calloway • tcalloway@stcloudtimes.com • December 21, 2008

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“I think it’s awesome,” Kum said about the snowboarding event.

Temperatures in the deep freeze couldn’t stop snowboarders and winter sport lovers as they took turns riding the rails and boxes at Riverside Park. Sponsored by The Youth Shelter Supply, this was the first event at the park, which is the first snowboard park in the St. Cloud area, said Brandon Janssen of Youth Shelter Supply.

“This is new to the city,” Janssen said. “It’s kind of a grand opening of the snowboard park. It’s a place for children to learn the proper way to snowboard.”

Youth Shelter Supply hosts a variety of events throughout the year. Sunday’s event was the first event at the park and the hope is to grow its use, Janssen said.

“This is the first year,” he said. “Hopefully, it will grow as the season progresses.”

More than 20 people attended the event. From sledding and snowboarding to food and fellowship, there was something for everyone.

Those in attendance also got to meet professional snowboarder Bjorn Leines. Leines is a native of Big Lake and owns a snowboarding glove company called Celtek with his brother Erik Leines.

While St. Cloud residents were happy to see the addition, people traveled to help celebrate the opening of the park. Josh Boeser traveled from Edina to test the site. He’s been snowboarding for 12 years.

“It’s really fun,” Boeser said. “It’s an awesome setup.”

Gary Fuechtmann has attended other events sponsored by the Youth Shelter Supply and was glad to see the opening of the St. Cloud snowboard park. Jodi and Kari Pfannenstein of St. Cloud were also happy to see the addition to the community.

“I think its rad that they have all this neat stuff out here,” Kari Pfannenstein said.

Jodi Pfannenstein liked the idea of something for snowboarders closer than Powder Ridge in Kimball.

“It’s nice to have something nearby,” Jodi Pfannenstein said. “I think it’s nice that it’s free too.”