SEATTLE -- About 200 rollerbladers rallied in Seattle this

weekend to protest city plans to demolish a two-year-old skate bowl

in the Ballard neighborhood.

The city intends to build a smaller

skate area in what will be Ballard Civic Center Park. Skaters and

city officials have clashed repeatedly over the plans. The new bowl

is expected to cost more than 100-thousand dollars.

Says blader

Kelly O'Neill -- quote -- "We think it's a huge waste of taxpayer

money to demolish something that works so well."

Dewey Potter, a spokeswoman for the city's Parks Department,

said the existing bowl was always intended to be temporary. She

says it's starting to show cracks and is not likely to stand up to

many more years of use.