It’s time Cambria Community Services District gets off the pot

March 1, 2026

Justin West

OPINION by JULIE TACKER

Last summer, the tiny community roared mightily when the Cambria Community Services District informed the nonprofit Skate Cambria that their five-year effort to fund a new skatepark was short some $300,000.

Skate Cambria, rose to the challenge, holding fundraising events, soliciting donations and selling bricks that would memorialize donors to this worthy cause.

Our family chose to purchase a brick in memory of our son, brother, nephew Justin West, who tragically lost his life at age 20 in a car accident in Sept. 2022.

If you didn’t get to meet Justin, you missed out. The kid was an amazing athlete and enjoyed skateboarding among other sports.

He could be found skateboarding around this county at the different skateparks, including the original rickety wooden one in Cambria that was dismantled in 2020.

The community camaraderie spread across San Luis Obispo County and into other counties across this state.  The amount of donations that rolled in within a few months met the new goal, exceeding $750,000 in donations since their efforts began in 2020.

The Cambria CSD contributed over $100,000 and the state put up $600,000 in grant funds to take the community’s dream to a reality. This really can happen!

Today’s warm weather got me thinking about the would-be skaters in Cambria, and how there is no sign of that new skatepark. The Cambria CSD website explains a significant delay has been caused by a required flood-proof restroom that has yet to be designed and approved by regulatory authorities. A restroom?

The project hasn’t even gone out to bid.  A bid would nail down the costs and Skate Cambria could skate across the finish line to its goal of having a skatepark in use before summer 2026 – when it is highly unlikely that a flood would occur.

Years ago, Cambria CSD claimed they were in a severe water shortage and locked up its public restrooms, it deployed temporary portable toilets. There will be a portable toilet at the skatepark site throughout construction.

Why not leave it in place until the bureaucrats get out of the way and build their flood-proof restroom.

Cambria CSD, bleep or get off the pot! Get the skatepark built, open its gates and let the skaters skate.

Family and friends will flock to Cambria to enjoy the fresh air, some fun in the sun, grab a bite, stay the night, and take pride in a community effort that’s been a long time coming.

Julie Tacker has served as a countywide activist for more than 20 years.