City to break ground on skatepark

GALVESTON — The city of Galveston plans Tuesday to break ground on a long-awaited municipal skatepark.

The concept of a skatepark was prompted by the city council’s decision to ban skateboarding on streets and sidewalks. Enthusiasts organized and began a grassroots campaign to raise money for a park. Seven years later, construction on the park is about to begin and is expected to last about 120 days.

The park is at the north end of Menard Park in the 2700 block of Seawall Boulevard. Previously, the city created a skatepark near the municipal airport as a temporary fix until project funding became available.

Grindline, an internationally known firm that is dedicated to state-of-the-art skate park design and construction, was awarded the $285,439.50 contract in December. The company has completed projects spanning the nation, as well as abroad.

Park funding ultimately included many cash and in-kind donations, in addition to the city’s donation of land for the site and Community Development Block Grant money.

“Several key cash and in-kind donations really launched the project into action, but the sustained momentum over the last five or more years really came from the skaters themselves.” said Rhonda Gregg, a supporter of the park.

“This park came about due to the community’s commitment to kids,” she added.

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At A Glance

WHAT: Skatepark ground breaking

WHERE: Menard Park, 2700 Seawall Blvd.

WHEN: 4 p.m. Tuesday