APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) This weekend marks the kick-off of fundraising efforts for a new skateboarding park in Appleton.  A non-profit, the Friends of the Appleton Skate Park, is looking to raise half of the $750,000 needed to complete the facility.  The city will cover the rest.

Telulah Park used to have a skating area but it was torn down to make way for an access road.  Now a local mother and son are determined to get wheels spinning once again in the same location.

"This is a group of people that doesn't have parental support behind them," says Keevie Bremhorst, the president of the Friends of the Appleton Skate Park.  "That is why we need to step up and help encourage them in their sport."

Efforts begin this Sunday to raise nearly $350,000 to help build a new park.  While the sport has increased in popularity, there are now fewer places it's allowed.

"You can't skate anywhere in the downtown area right now," adds skater Hans Bremhorst.

But Local 5 found some doing just that right outside the Surfin Bird.  It's a skate-shop that opened on College Avenue back in March.  Outside, 23 year old Cameron Cook tells us he's received seven citations from Appleton Police for skating in the area.  Each ticket sets him back $200.  "I could probably pay for part of the park with my tickets alone!" he told us with a chuckle. 

The belief is the park could cut down on that type of activity by giving skaters a place to go to.  And maybe even bring out-of-towners to the state-of-the-art facility.

"Skateboarding isn't what people use to think of it as - a juvenile activity.  Now parents are seeing kids who are really passionate about this.  It's becoming more of an organized thing," says Bremhorst.

This weekend's fundraiser will be at Telulah Park on Sunday from noon until 6 PM.

Organizers hope to open the park in the summer of 2014.