A new skate park is ramping up Holmes Beach.
And could include an expansion if the city can raise the funds.
In February, the city commission approved an amended contract with American Ramp Co. to replace the skate park in the recreational complex at city field, adjacent to city hall, 5801 Marina Drive.
At a July 9 meeting, city engineer Lynn Burnett and ARC’s lead designer, Tito Porrata, presented conceptual renderings for the park.
Burnett said construction documents should be ready for the next city commission meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive.
Porrata said the concept for the design is a “beginner-intermediate, very user-friendly street course,” including rails, steps, pyramids and pipes as props for skaters.
He said there will be a buffer about 16 feet from Marina Drive for the park, which will be about 5,000 square feet.
“All the basics, within a modest size,” Porrata said.
He said ARC recently built a similar skate park in Gulfport and received positive reviews.
“It’s just a really positive enhancement for the community,” Porrata said. “So we expect this kind of facility to get the same response.”
Porrata also provided renderings of a Y-shaped skate bowl — similar to an above-ground swimming pool, about four feet deep, custom-built, but about three times the size of an average swimming pool at 800 square feet. It also would be reinforced with steel.
The commission previously approved the skate park, not to exceed $150,000, with an option to include the skate bowl if $100,000 could be raised from grants or donations before constructions commences.
Porrata said the bowl would complete the park. He said it would draw more advanced skaters, and that might keep the younger skaters on good behavior.
“It would make your job easier,” he said to Police Chief Bill Tokajer.
Commissioner Rick Hurst asked Tokajer if he had any possible donors.
“I have reached out to multiple different areas for donations,” Tokajer said. “So, hopefully, somebody will pony-up.”
In February, Burnett said the city had about six months to raise grant money for the skate bowl, which would add about four weeks to the project, which is expected to be completed in March 2020.
We have very few skatepark users in our demographics on our Island. Why would we want to open that door and build a facility for such a small number of users. Skateparks sound great but are rarely used after the initial thrill wears. Funds could be better spent on increasing bike/walking paths and dog parks which is what the majority of our residence want. Thank you
I would ask the Commission to ask themselves, has the old skate park, closed for 2+ years, been missed? From the original planning, I couldn’t recall if lights were included. The Bradenton park gets peak participation at 9PM. When will it close?
I know the children’s play yard has been missed based on three question I have had from different visitors.
I’m happy for the skate boarders that they are getting a beautiful new park but what happen to all the plans for a new and improved dog park? Seems like those plans just disappeared when the skate board park plans appeared. The island presents itself as dog friendly to vacationers but consistently put improvements to much used dog park on the back burner. Why is this?
I THOUGHT the splash park was a great idea, and a great alternative for families with young kids to have a “splash” …. it added a dimension to the recreation area, WATER, that would be just the recipe to interest a wider range of kids. Skate, splash, shoot hoops, exercise the dog. Where’s that exercise/fitness trail that adults could use? — Bonner