City breaks ground on skatepark expansion

By Soncirey Mitchell

A rendering of the skatepark
expansion plans, courtesy of city of Sandpoint.

Reader Staff

Community members gathered May 30 for the groundbreaking ceremony for Phase 2 of the skatepark expansion at Travers Park. Sandpoint Community Planning and Development Director Jason Welker estimates that the $402,000 project will be complete before schools open in September, giving beginners and pros alike the opportunity to hone their skills on the new “street” skate area.

“When people think about who uses city parks, they might think of kids or adults playing softball, football, soccer or lacrosse, but we know that over any 12-month period the skatepark will see more total hours of use than any other sport-specific field or facility,” Welker told the Reader.

The expansion comes nearly 20 years after the city broke ground on the original “Concrete Lake” skatepark. Dreamland Skateparks co-owners Danyel and Mark Scott, whose company created the original park, have returned to complete Phase 2.

“Opportunities for mentorship are plenty, as younger skaters have the chance to observe and learn from the older skaters, who in turn look out for the younger kids,” said Welker, later adding, “By building facilities like skateparks and bike parks, cities create opportunities for new communities to form and thrive. That’s really what our city parks are about.”