Will State College finally get a public skatepark? New design revealed for Action Sports Park
Jake Johnson, now 34 years old, never felt welcome growing up as a skateboarder in State College. After all, skating locations were limited — and police weren’t too pleased when Johnson and his friends improvised by using public spaces.
But, after years of planning and teaming up with the borough, skaters and BMX riders could soon finally have their own public space.
Action Sports Park, the oft-discussed skatepark that will be located at High Point Park, is moving forward. Organizers held a public meeting Thursday at IQ Skateshop on Pugh Street to show off a new draft of the park’s design, listen to feedback and discuss what happens next.
For Johnson, who left the area before returning and becoming a co-owner of IQ Skateshop, such a park is long overdue.
“It can’t be overstated how important this is. ... It’s going to be a place where you’re going to want to spend a lot of time,” he said. “Every corner and every obstacle will be able to be skated in more than one way for more than one direction, so it’s going to be really versatile and really diverse.”
While the 18,000-square-foot design is not yet finalized and could potentially be tweaked, altered or overhauled, the group of volunteers spearheading the park believe the three-month construction project could start later this summer. But it’s possible, if there’s a delay with permitting or fundraising, the project could be pushed to 2023.
The new design is markedly different compared to what was presented to borough council last year. The previous design, which was never finalized, was put forth by world-renowned park/ramp designer Nate Wessel. But with Wessel needing to focus his talents on other projects and with the park going in another direction — Wessel’s design was about 67% larger than the new design and admittedly costlier — the Action Sports Park volunteers turned elsewhere.
Cue Johnson, a professional skateboarder who’s skated all around the world, from Japan to San Francisco. He inspired the new design and New Line Skateparks, a municipal skatepark design and construction team, then turned his idea and conceptual design into the draft that was on display Thursday.
While local teenagers, college students and longtime riders shared suggestions Thursday, such as potentially increasing the height or curve of some ramps, the overwhelming sentiment was one of excitement mixed with a feeling of, “About time.”
“We’ve been wanting a skatepark for years,” State College resident Jeremy Manno said, referring to his kids, one of whom offered a thumbs-up for the park. “To finally have a park coming is a big deal.”
Added David Cooper, a Penn State freshman: “I love the look of it. ... It’s going to be really nice for the community, and it’s going to be a really good outlet for a lot of the kids around here.”
The park is built to accommodate all skill levels and all wheels, meaning skateboards, BMX bikes, scooters, in-line skates, etc. It features granite and brick so it blends in with the town’s architecture, and four trees or plantings are positioned at one end of the skatepark to give it a plaza-like feel, in a nod to more famous parks such as Pulaski Park in Washington D.C.
While those on-hand said this park appears geared more toward street riding — think tricks on rails or ledges — than park riding, there’s still a little for everyone. The tentative skatepark design features steps, curbs, rails, ramps, a brick volcano — and even a granite centerpiece, a forgiving surface for skaters.
“You won’t see that in any other skatepark in the world,” Johnson said. “It’s one solid piece of granite, 20 inches thick, 7 foot wide by 12 foot long. And, for skateboarders, that’s going to be something you might travel across the state just to skate that one thing.”
According to lead volunteer Gordon Kauffman, the total estimated cost of the park is $1.3 million. Two state grants account for about $500,000 — and need to be used by next year — while the borough has committed $200,000, and in-kind donations have amounted to another $100,000.
That leaves about $500,000 the group of volunteers still needs to raise through either private donations, appeals to other municipalities or other grants. (Those interested in donating can call the borough at 814-278-4710 or email borough engineering consultant Andy Arnold at aarnold@gdfengineers.com for more information.)
“We’re going to go to as many different sources as we can,” Kauffman added.
The idea for State College’s Action Sports Park first took shape in 2013, when champion BMX rider Jamie Bestwick presented the idea to a committee on the Centre Region Council of Governments. The park has seen plenty of changes and bumps in the road since then: The idea garnered headlines in 2016 when it became a contentious topic among residents near Orchard Park, who opposed building a skatepark there. And, in fall 2020, High Point Park was publicly identified as the new location.
A skatepark does exist at Tussey Mountain, but a single all-day pass costs $10. The nearest free, public skateparks include Lock Haven Skatepark and Philipsburg’s Slabtown Skate and Bike Park.
Johnson is eager for State College to finally boast a free, public skatepark of its own.
“Not only is this going to help the local (action sports) community grow and advance because it’s going to give them a legal place to ride and it’s going to give them every type of obstacle to ride. That’s huge,” Johnson said, adding riders from around the world will likely drop by due to its proximity to Camp Woodward, which has produced countless pros. “But even bigger is it’s going to introduce them to this idea that, hey, we’re in State College, Pennsylvania, a small town. But the whole world is linked in this community.”
How to donate
Those interested in donating toward the construction of Action Sports Park, and who want more information, can either call the borough’s Financial Services Division at 814-278-4710 or email borough engineering consultant Andy Arnold at aarnold@gdfengineers.com.
To donate, send a check to:
State College Borough
Attn: Dwight Miller
243 South Allen Street
State College, PA 16801-4806
The group of volunteers spearheading Action Sports Park asks that the checks be made out to to the “Borough of State College” with “Action Sports Park Fund” in the memo.
