WILMINGTON — Two skateboarding supporters said Monday they’re concerned about plans for what they call an undersized or shrinking skate park.
Jennifer Stewart and Mark Noland spoke with Clinton County commissioners Monday morning. The planned skate park is part of a project to build a new concrete skate park and a splash park, both to be sited at the David R. Williams Memorial Park in the city of Wilmington. Commissioners previously awarded $63,000 to help meet a matching requirement for two grants that are key to the two-component project.
Noland said a small skate park increases the likelihood of collisions and would accommodate less skating.
In a News Journal interview Monday afternoon, Wilmington City Parks Director Lori Kersey Williams said the skate park model is based on the number of individuals who skate on a regular basis at the current skate park in the city. She said the planned skate park will not be undersized based on the number of local skaters.
She said she believes there are at least a couple dozen locals who skate on a regular basis.
The plan, said Williams, is to build a $150,000 concrete skate park based on the money available right now.
“That’s how much money we have to spend,” she added.
Noland said, “It’s a disappointment that it could be shrunk to that size, after they waited that long a time.” Eleven years ago, the Clinton County Skate Park Association (CCSPA) — primarily young people — began raising funds for a 15,500 square foot concrete skate park.
Stewart said she acknowledges that local economic conditions in recent years had hurt that effort for the larger skate park, which she described as “a big dream.”
But after noting the Tony Hawk Foundation awarded the CCSPA a $10,000 grant for the larger skate park for under-privileged, at-risk youths, Stewart said, “This [current plan] is an embarrassment to what he has given $10,000 to.”
Williams said she agrees that bigger would be better, “but we simply don’t have the funds to do that at this time.”
Current plans are to bid and build a Phase 1. It consists of 3,750 square feet. Phase 2 would hopefully come later, and consists of 2,570 square feet.
Noland is worried a Phase 2 might never happen, saying that’s the pattern with skate parks done in phases.
Phase 2 is a $100,000 project, said Williams. She said Monday there will be a conference call with Grindline Skate Parks on Thursday to imagine with them what a $40,000 to $50,000 phase could look like. That way if we are able to squeeze out an additional $40,000 to $50,000 we would have the design ready.”
According to an email by Alec Beck, programs manager with the Tony Hawk Foundation, that was made available at the commissioners session: “Phase 2 has medium to advanced elements for both street and transition skaters. These elements will be essential to keeping the core skateboarders served, and give the beginners something to strive toward and then use once they reach that stage.
“Phase 1 is perfect for beginners and medium level riders, but seems to have a definite ceiling on possibility relative to skill level based on the terrain available,” continued Beck. “The two halves put together make a very well rounded park that will attract all of your intended users, and displace none.”
A printout distributed by Stewart at the commissioners meeting stated, “While we value the improvements that are happening at the city park, and we have tremendous gratitude for what has happened thus far, it seems that there is still a segment of the community being pushed aside and ignored.”
Williams said, “We want a great skate park that meets the needs of local skaters.”
Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768.
