The idea of a skate park in Snoqualmie is not new. I volunteered on the Snoqualmie Parks Board in 2006 when a group of ambitious teens came to us with the idea. Since 2007 it has been in the city’s capital improvement plan.
Although the city has always agreed the park was a good idea, budget was the big hurdle. Then four years ago the parks board led the charge to finally make the park a reality, recommending the city actively pursue building it.
So planning began, starting with the Snoqualmie Skate Park Committee in 2014. A 7,500 sq. ft. area of land was identified to hold the park inside Snoqualmie Community Park – highly visible from the park, the street and even from inside the YMCA. The city also began applying for grants.
In 2016 the committee worked with a design team. The park’s conceptual design emerged. Active fundraising also began and the first large $175,000 grant was secured. Then last month King County council member Kathy Lambert helped secure the last needed grant that will soon allow skate park construction to begin.
A momentous final step happened on Monday, April 9, 2018, when the Snoqualmie City Council unanimously (something that doesn’t happen often these days) approved authorizing the bid process for the park’s construction.
The estimated $450,00 skate park project will officially be opened for bids this week. Snoqualmie Parks Supervisor Larry White said with a favorable bid, the park will finally become reality…. and made possible by large county and state grants, community donations and a lot of commitment from city staff, committee and community members.
White estimated construction could begin in June 2018 and said they hope to open the skate park in September 2018.
The park will be located at Snoqualmie Community Park, on a chunk of land between the basketball court, soccer field and the park’s Ridge Street entrance. Design was completed in 2016.
Some very excited Snoqualmie teens were present at Monday’s council meeting, including Eli Sheppard who is an active skater. He said, “I think it’s a very cool design and I am super happy for it…” He said he will now have someplace in his hometown to skate other than sidewalks where he may annoy neighbors.
“The skatepark will be a tremendous asset to our community and provide kids and adults alike yet another way to enjoy our beautiful community,” said Councilmember and Public Work and Park Committee chairman Sean Sundwall. “Huge kudos to city staff who worked hard to get more than $400,000 in grant money to make this happen. As a result, the city will pay less than $10,000 to make this dream a reality.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYxZ3Tojmp4&feature=youtu.be
