Boyne City May Get Skate Park

proposed Boyne City skate park (graphic from city of Boyne City)

from the Boyne Citizen

A long-planned community skate park in Boyne City, Michigan, has moved one step closer to becoming a reality. City commissioners have unanimously approved a grant application from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund grant for $376,000.

If the grant is approved, this would provide the largest portion of funds raised to date. The amount would cover most of what is needed to complete the park. Trust Fund grants have to be matched with 25% local funding. This is already raised by the non-profit skate park organization

No money will come from the city budget. However, the city will help maintain the park, once constructed.

City Manager Sam Demel called the park “a great asset for the community.” It will be built at Rotary Park at Boyne City. There is currently no skateboard facility in the city.


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Fast Response Re-opens Ludington Skate Park

based on news articles in the Ludington Daily News and the Mason County Press

The Ludington City Police taped off the Skate Plaza today until the trash was cleaned up. "The park will remain closed until the trash in and around the park is picked up," Chief Mark Barnett said.

This afternoon, the Mason County Press reports that about a dozen users of the park showed up with brooms and a shovel. They cleared trash and moved sand. As a result, the park was re-opened at 2 pm.

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Grayling Skate Park is Small but Important Rec Option

Grayling Skate Park (photo by Harry Brumer)

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based on a news article at Up North Live

The Grayling Skate Board Park is a real effort of love by the youth of the city. Skaters have always faced problems with business owners when they try to skate on sidewalks and in parking lots. Sixteen-year-old Trey Townsend said, "I just would like to have a place where we can just go there and not have any problems or anything."

Trey is now 21, and thanks to his efforts, and many other people, there is now a place for skateboarders and BMXers in Grayling. His idea was to use the city ice skating rink, only change its purpose in the summer when the large concrete area sat empty.

He and other kids raised $2000, mostly by collecting cans, and with bake sales, and the city chipped in $7000. The city is pleased to be able to offer another sports venue, but expects that the users will do most of the maintenance.

The park should be fully open by the end of the school year.

Visitors to the park who have posted comments at the Concrete Disciples web site say that the park is small, and is probably not a destination park for serious boarders. But it's quite likely that the kids of Grayling are happy enough to have the park to themselves.

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Ottawa County Parks Township Millage Vote January 15

The parks and recreation millage is up for renewal in Park Township of Ottawa County. On January 15, voters will be asked if they want to move ahead with the plans to expand parks and preserve such specialty areas as a disc golf course, a dog park and Ashwood Reserve for kayakers on Lake Macatawa. There are twelve township parks in the system. Two community centers operate recreation programs for about 3000 people each year.

The township would also like to construct a skate park at the Ottawa County Fairgrounds.

If the millage is approved it will renew the township's park tax for another 10 years at the rate of half a mill. This translates to about $50/ year on a $100,000 home.

Barb Burmeister, township parks and recreation department director, said, "We are pretty proud of our park system. By renewing our parks millage, we will continue to provide and preserve parks and open spaces that enhance the desirability of Park Township as a place to live and work."

from the Holland Sentinel, "Renewal of parks millage on Jan. 15 ballot", by Jeremy Gonsior Dec 26, 2007
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West Michigan Skateboard Parks- Quarter Pipes Need More Quarters

Ludington, Scottville and Hart all have skate parks in their plans, but these popular structures cost big bucks.

The City of Ludington hosted a groundbreaking ceremony in June of this year for its already designed skate park located at Stearns Park. The plan is ready to go, $229,000 dollars have been raised. Bids were accepted for the construction. But last week when the bids were opened, there was a $120,000 surprise, and not a good one. The actual cost will be more like $352,000. Ludington Mayor John Henderson says that this is a bump in the road, but that the skate plaza will be built. However, the kids with their boards might not be lining up in 2007 to ride. The construction committee will meet soon to discuss some options. There may be places where reasonable changes can be made to the plans.

The funds for this project have come primarily from local efforts. The Mayor's Youth Advisory Committee kicked the project off by raising $6000. Other local donations both corporate and from individuals have followed. One grant of $75,000 was received. Now, more money will have to be raised.

In Oceana County, the small city of Hart has also been dreaming of a modest skate park. The City Council matched a $5000 Tony Hawk grant on July 23, to keep the dream alive. The Tony Hawk Foundation was created by skateboarding legend Tony Hawk. Hart purchased about $7000 worth of skate park equipment from the city of Saline a few years ago. These assets are gathering dust in storage. The city is waiting to hear from the skate park committee, and hopes to revitalize the plan. Their estimate of cost is about $100,000.

Scottville, Ludington's neighbor to the east, has also been dreaming of a skate park since 2005, although it has not been addressed in a meeting of the Parks and Recreation Committee recently. Mayor Leon Begue says, "We still want to do it; it's all about the money." A new playground was installed in June at McPhail Field, and the committee may now turn its fundraising efforts toward the skate park.

by Joan H. Young

See Ludington Skate Park Virtual Tour
Ludington Holds Groundbreaking for Stearns Skateboard Park
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Ludington Holds Groundbreaking for Stearns Skateboard Park

Skatepark concept

The Ludington Skate Plaza is the next cool project for the City of Ludington, Michigan. Ludington is home to a myriad of cultural and recreational opportunities including a nationally recognized sculpture park, large dowtown murals depicting the area's rich history, the Historic White Pine Village, and of course all Lake Michigan has to offer, including beautiful white sand beaches, impressive sand dunes and Michigan's No. 1 fishing port.

The City of Ludington is anxious to take the Skate Plaza from an impressive design to a reality. The plaza will be located in Stearns Park, a hub of recreational activity along the Lake Michigan shore. The design calls for a 100-foot by 130-foot plaza, every inch of which is available for use by rollerbladers and skateboarders of all ages. The plaza is also designed for multiple uses and may feature concerts, ceremonies and other public events.

Construction costs are estimated at $229,000. Matching grants are being sought to offset local expenses, but your financial assistance is needed to make this project happen. So strap on your helmet, take a virtual tour of the Ludington Skate Plaza and please consider making a donation. All donations are tax deductible.

from the Ludington Daily News- see FAIR USE notice.
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