JEFFERSON CITY − Jefferson City’s Parks and Recreational Department is currently in the process of renovating the skate park at Washington Park. The renovation for the skate park just started about a week ago Friday.
Todd Spalding, director of JC Parks, Recreation and Forestry, said these renovations, which will cost up to $200,000, are past due.
“It’s quite a few years old,” he said. “And so when I got here seven years ago, that was identified as something that was going to need to be improved in the near future, because of its aging and shape.”
The project was approved by the Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Commission.
“The commission approved the funding of this with two contracts; one with Staat Tuckpointing and one with American Ramp Company,” Spalding said.
The renovation includes repairs to the old standing skate park while also adding brand new features from American Ramp Company. According to JC Parks, some of the new obstacles to expect are a half pipe, quarter pipe, bank ramp, pyramid corner and grind box.
American Ramp Company, a Joplin-based construction company, was called to take a look at the aged skate park and share their recommendations for improvements.
“They’re the leader, actually in the world for skatepark equipment, and they actually did the equipment originally 20 plus years ago,” Spalding said. “So I had them the owner of the company come up, along with a professional skater on staff, and she skated the course.”
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Recommendations from American Ramp Company were applied to fit JC Parks’ budget.
“Some pieces can be repaired. Some of them can’t,” Spalding said. “We took some of the pieces out that couldn’t be repaired. We purchased new pieces that would go along with our current pieces.”
Gabriel Zimmerer, an avid skater, said he’s been coming to the park since he was 8 years old. He is now 19 and said he’s happy with the renovations taking place at the skate park.
“I’d say like, the last couple of times that I’ve come, I have hurt myself quite a bit, running into cracks and things of that sort or dropping in on a ramp, or I get caught and then I’ll end up falling forward and falling straight on my face,” Zimmerer said.
But not everyone is happy with the renovations and took to JC Park’s Facebook page to share their opinion.
“I appreciate all the work that’s goin on, and I love using this park because that’s all we had but this is really just a big Band-Aid big waste of money,” one commenter said. “This park will never be ‘newer’ but it still will have no progression. This is def[inetely] a slap in the face. Don’t get me wrong I’ll still use it but we can do better JC.”
Zimmerer says this renovation isn’t just for people to enjoy now.
“That’s for like, the next generation to come, not just for me now. I know, in a couple years, I’m going to be hurting and not wanting to skate as much, but this new generation that’s coming in, they really need the skate park,” he said.
Jefferson City Parks and Recreation hopes to have the new features installed in May.