FULTON, NY - In his efforts to open a place for Fulton youth to skateboard, Franklin McQuaid said he has seen his dream evolve.

What started out smaller has become a vision, he said. Recognizing it will take time to make that a reality, McQuaid said he is happy to see the dream start somewhere.

This past week, members of the Fulton Common Council raised the ongoing issue of a potential skate park in Fulton during the regular council meeting.

Several councilors and the mayor reportedly traveled to Pulaski to see a skate facility that the community there has for its youth.

We continue to look in that direction, said Third Ward councilor Robert Weston. We hope to make a decision in the near future.

Weston, who has chaired the city's recreation committee since he first took office 13 years ago, said that the potential of a skate park has been a reoccurring topic.

The closest the city has come to shaping that need came less than a decade ago, he said.

In the late 90s, the city of Fulton took steps to transform VanBuren Park on the city's east side into a place where people could bicycle, rollerblade and skateboard.

Having applied for grant money to tackle the effort, the money did not come through and the effort ultimately fell through.

For several months, McQuaid and his wife, Elizabeth, have spearheaded a series of public meetings to bring interested individuals together to discuss the options for a skate park in Fulton.

According to McQuaid, the meetings have sparked much interest and plans to move in that direction.

There is a lot going on, McQuaid said.

The most recent meeting was Sept. 29. McQuaid noted that the meeting was taped and can be accessed through the Web site that he set up to provide updates on the progress of the plan.

McQuaid said, admittedly, while he envisions something that will eventually be much bigger than anything this area has seen before, he is ready to start the plans however possible.

My vision is different, McQuaid said. But it has to start somewhere.

McQuaid noted that while he plans to work with the city on whatever is needed to start a skate park, he envisions something that goes beyond just a place to skate.

Having taken a microenterprise course in the past in an effort to start a gym in Fulton, McQuaid said he is using that knowledge to build his vision of an all encompassing youth outreach center.

Working to secure not-for-profit status, McQuaid said he eventually hopes to run the youth outreach as a ministry that focuses on more than skateboarding.

I would really like to see it become a skate plaza with everything the youth would need to train, McQuaid said. It would allow them to build on their skills and abilities and even compete.

McQuaid noted that while a regular skate park would not be equipped with the things required to be considered a training facility, the plaza would.

A skate park is not equipped with all of the ramps and things that are needed to take that talent to the next level, McQuaid noted.

As a non-profit, McQuaid noted that he hopes to eventually sponsor the teens who take their talent to a competitive level.

Obviously, my dream is a lot bigger than just a skate park, McQuaid said. It would be something that would draw people to this area from all over.

In addition to skateboarding, he said the facility would accommodate other activities, such as bicyclists and in-line skaters.

It would also be a family-type facility where kids could come and train and parents come to watch and spend time together, McQuaid said. That is my vision. It is my dream.

While he said many people have expressed an interest in helping him foster that dream, McQuaid said he recognizes that starting smaller is necessary.

It needs to start somewhere, he said. The goal is to get a skate park started.

We are committed to this, McQuaid said. We are excited, the kids are excited. ... I am confident that it is going to work out. It is just a matter of time.

Those seeking additional information can contact Elizabeth or Franklin McQuaid by calling 598-5394. Announcements and updates are also routinely posted on the Web page.