Al Taylor was an accountant and at a low point in his life when he made the leap into his dream of opening an indoor skatepark, and now he's helping young people through their own battles.
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It was only 18 months ago that the Taylors started Al's Skate Co on South Street in Wodonga, but they're opening a new site on Sunday.
"We started off in January, 2019, doing lessons outdoors and then opened indoors that June, and just before COVID we had about 150 children and adults booked in per week for lessons," Mr Taylor said.
"We were already thinking we'd need a bigger place, and with COVID going on longer, we thought we'd make the most of the downtime."
The Taylors decided on the building on Melbourne Road vacated by Poolside Wodonga, which has moved to Roadshow Drive.
"It gives us so much room. We have a full beginner area separate from the main park - we have kids as young as three years old learning," Mr Taylor said.
"I think having a facility like this, we'll attract more people that do just want to come in and skate.
"There's an indoor skate park in Canberra, but other than that, it's mainly Sydney and Melbourne."
The space of the new site, with a retail store and cafe, will allow Al's Skate Co to become a fulltime family affair with Mr Taylor, wife Rachael and their three boys.
"Al's happier than he's ever been, and I'm super proud of him," Mrs Taylor said.
"Al was at a really low spot in his life - for a really long time he'd had a high-paying job at the tax office and felt he couldn't leave that.
"I said 'We'd rather have you here, and happy, then any money in the world'. So he bit the bullet, we started this, and we haven't looked back."
A big passion for Mr Taylor is working with youth through Junction Support Services, Upper Murray Family Care and local schools.
"We're really passionate about health and well-being for young people," he said.
"It's sometimes those young people on the fringe who maybe aren't as comfortable engaging in team sports who find this to be a great atmosphere."
It's their regular kids who Mr Taylor feels have lost out the most during COVID-19 lockdowns - indoor skate parks remained heavily restricted until recently.
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"It wasn't until November that we could have reopened, and then we were a couple weeks away from opening anyway, so we waited," he said.
"As our core business, we probably lost the best part of nine months."
"Gyms reopened and indoor skate parks remained closed. But when we look back, it did provide us with the space to do this."
A grand opening will be held on Sunday.
