SNOHOMISH — There wasn’t a place here for skateboarders to ride.
That’s until Corey McCrea convinced city leaders to build the Snohomish Skatepark.
McCrea died in a car accident near Snohomish on Aug. 23. He was 33.
McCrea wanted the city to build a skatepark to give kids who weren’t into organized sports a place to hang out.
“There was really no where we could go without being chased off and vilified,” said Jason Tornquist, a longtime friend, classmate and fellow skater.
So McCrea decided to do something about it. But persuading the older people on the City Council that Snohomish needed a $236,000 skatepark was no easy feat for the then 14-year-old, Ann Stanton, a retired city project manager, recalled.
“He really did his research,” Stanton said, noting McCrea’s thoughtful and reasonable approach.
After convincing the council to approve the project, he worked with the skatepark design firm. He advocated for his idea at public meetings and enlisted help in raising money for it.
The skatepark opened on Second Street in 2001, a few months before McCrea graduated from Snohomish High School and went on to the University of Arizona. It has since been one of the city’s most popular parks.
“It really is influencing a generation of people,” Stanton said.
Shane Auckland grew up rolling on, popping off and turning tricks at the skatepark. That’s where Machias native made the video that helped his friend Cory Kennedy break into competitive skateboarding.
Kennedy, who grew up in Lake Stevens, now skates professionally and even has his own Nike shoe. Auckland, 27, earns his living making skateboarding films. He doubts they’d have those careers if they wouldn’t have been able to sharpen their skills in Snohomish.
Another professional skateboarder, Jordan Sanchez, also grew up riding at the skatepark.
“The guy who built it really put together something special for the community,” said Shane Smith, who now brings his son, Caden, 7, there to practice for competitions.
McCrea approached the skatepark as he did most things, said Nathan Reading, a longtime friend and classmate who was at his side during city meetings about the project.
“He was extremely calculated and meticulous,” said Reading, 33. “Everything he touched had to be perfect or else he wouldn’t do it.”
McCrea had a calm, cool demeanor and was known to help others before himself, Reading said.
He and Tornquist grew up with McCrea, taking classes, playing sports, making music, joking around, talking about girls and going on trips together.
McCrea sold his dirt bike to buy his first drum set from Tornquist, who then had money to buy his second set. Tornquist took lessons but his friend could play the drum parts from all their favorite Nirvana songs without the help of a teacher.
McCrea was artistic, athletic and smart. He sketched, wrote in a journal, played basketball and did academic competitions.
Tornquist showed his friend how to procrastinate and get things done quickly. McCrea taught him that if he was working on something he was passionate about, it wasn’t really work at all.
“He was a very hard worker, harder than me,” Tornquist said.
McCrea appreciated nature and enjoyed being outdoors. He and Tornquist often went to Lake Chelan during the summers. They’d sit in a boat, listen to music and look at the stars.
Tornquist said McCrea showed him how to really laugh.
“Corey laughed with such authenticity and joy it was infectious,” he said. “It wasn’t a chuckle or a discrete ‘haha.’ It was a powerful laugh” that soon had everybody within earshot laughing, too.
After college, McCrea lived, worked and surfed in San Diego until he moved back to Snohomish last fall.
He found work on an organic farm and did carpentry.
After a long day on the job, he liked to bake desserts. His family could always count on his homemade fudge at Christmas.
Corey is survived by his parents, Tom and Linda McCrea, of Snohomish; brother Michael McCrea, of Seattle and sister Christina “Tina” McCrea, of Kirkland.
At his memorial service in Snohomish last month, Tornquist shared a quote from Pablo Picasso that he thought his friend understood early on: “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”
McCrea did just that, sharing his talents with anyone who crossed his path, Tornquist said.
Another celebration of his life is planned in San Diego on Oct. 10. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking people to donate to the Ocean Conservancy online or by calling 800-519-1541.
Linda McCrea said her grief is lightened by others sharing memories of her son’s fun-loving, gentle, kind, supportive, loving soul and the difference he made.
“He certainly left a legacy,” she said.
Amy Nile: 425-339-3192; anile@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @AmyNileReports
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