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Jeremy Edmonds sped through the Germantown Town Center on his black and red skateboard, occasionally hopping on and off curbs. Edmonds and other skaters will have a new place for tricks next week, when the Upcounty Drop-In Skate Spot opens.

"That's pretty cool," said Edmonds, 16, of Germantown. "Finally we'll have a place to go instead of having people chase us away from places in the town center."

Montgomery County Police Capt. Thomas Didone, commander of the 5th District station in Germantown, used $1,000 from community policing discretionary funds to buy supplies to build the skate spot in front of the station at 20000 Aircraft Drive.

The move came after officials at the Upcounty Regional Services Center learned that they could not use more than $30,000 left over from a federal gang-prevention grant to buy equipment.

Officer Mike Gotard and two officers used wooden boards and metal supports to build ramps, jump boxes and a platform for the site, which will be able to serve 40 skaters at once, he said.

Gotard, a 23-year veteran of the police force and licensed contractor, volunteered to build the removable structure. Gotard said "this is a group effort," pointing out the donated concrete barriers from the county's Department of Transportation and the donated signs from the county's sign and signal shop.

Gotard, a member of the summer bike patrol in Germantown Town Center, said there is definitely a need for the skate spot.

"For years, we've been chasing these kids around on their skateboards," said Gotard, who designed the skate spot. "I told the kids, ‘We'll work with you guys if you work with us.'"

The skate spot will be opened during daylight hours. Three large signs will outline the rules of the skate spot, Didone said. Didone said skaters of all ages can come to the park, but skaters 10-years-old and younger need parental consent or must be accompanied by a parent. Skaters must bring helmets, elbow pads and other protective gear, Didone said. He is looking into donated protective equipment for skaters who cannot afford it.

The firm opening date has not been announced.

An extra surveillance camera and streetlight has been requested from the county for extra safety, he said.

Once the skate spot opens, there will be zero tolerance for people found skateboarding through the town center, he said.

"Initially, we'll warn people on skateboards and tell them about the skate spot," Didone said. "But after that, if we find people on skateboards after a couple of weeks of warning them, we'll charge them with disorderly conduct or vandalism, depending on what the situation is."

"I'm thrilled for the kids but I'm glad for us," said Nancy Savas, manager of the Germantown Library. Savas has made several phone calls to police in the last two years to have skateboarders removed from the front of the building. Two outside wooden benches were removed because of damages caused by skateboarders, she said.

"This is a sport they watch on television and they're trying to hone their skills," Savas said. "As the mother of a former teenager, I understand there is a need for a place for them to go."