A new world-class skateboard park is coming to Cleveland to help Revitalize the Flats
The City of Cleveland has awarded the Design/Build contract for the new Crooked River Skate Park to Grindline Skateparks of Seattle WA. The new skatepark will serve local residents and to help spearhead further development of the Columbus Road Peninsula. This section of the Flats is already home to the Ohio City Bicycle Co-Op and the home of the Cleveland Rowing Foundation & Rivergate Park. Columbus Road Peninsula will become a people-powered recreation district nestled along the Cuyahoga River.
Cleveland Metro Parks' Rivergate Park bringing the river front alive
As of July 2012, the Cleveland Metro Parks is the new owner of several acres along the Cuyahoga off Columbus Rd and has opened the Rivergate Cafe right next to the skatepark site. The new Rivergate Park will see many changes as the Metroparks seeks to bring many new programs to the east bank of the river and build off the momentum started by the Cleveland Rowing Foundation and Crooked River Skate Park project.
Thank you Tony Hawk Foundation! $25,000 for the Cleveland Skateboard Park
April 14th, 2011: The Tony Hawk Foundation has awarded PSG the maximum level of funding through their skatepark grant program. PSG will receive $25,000 to help fund the Cleveland Skateboard Park. Please help us complete our funding by making a donation directly to our Cleveland Skateboard Park fund. Your donation is 100% tax deductible. Click the DONATE in the right column. Please contact us if you want to sponsor a portion of the skateboard park!
"The unparalleled advocacy of northeastern Ohio's Public Square Group should serve as a model for skatepark supporters throughout the country."
- Tony Hawk Foundation
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Small cost - LARGE recreational and economic impact
As part of the Mayor Jackson and CIty Council vision of a new, re-imagined Flats district, the skatepark will provide instant foot traffic with hundreds of people per day for 9-10 months of the year for only simple maintenance compared to other recreational facilities. Self-managed, self-policing and self supervised skateboard parks provide sustainable recreation opportunity for generations to come with minuscule ongoing tax payer burden.
Cleveland leading the way...
Updates...
Land swapped
In March 2013, Grindline began exploratory digging on the site which resulted in the discovery of large bulkhead anchors throughout the site. These anchors help hold up the bulkhead along the waterfront and cannot be removed or built around. The City began looking for another location within the Rivergate Park area and a public meeting was held on July 24th, 2013 to present the options. The public overwhelming supported the new location in order to maintain the current conceptual design.
The new site is directly north of the original site and will accommodate the Snake Run style park with deep transitions and plenty of space to build up and avoid issues with the water table. The City must complete a land swap deal with the Cleveland Metroparks in order for the project to continue.
Grindline completes the conceptual design phase.
World-class skatepark design/build firm Grindline has finalized the conceptual design of the skatepark. Based in Seattle, Grindline is one of a small handful of world renown design/build firms that have ushered in a new era of skatepark design and construction. They engaged with Parkworks LAND Studio to design the new skateboard park for Cleveland and will be one of the main candidates for construction.
Great Second Public Meeting! - Final Concepts and Feedback
Final Conceptual Design
Three different conceptual designs were created based on all the ideas and comments from the first public meeting on April 28th 2010. These concepts were refined based on feedback and ideas from the public starting at the June 22nd public meeting and comments and ideas collected since then. The final design chosen was the "Snake Run" concept featuring an iconic snake run and deep kidney bowl along with various street/flow elements and double ledge lines around the edge. Materials feature a mix of concrete, brick, granite, and pool coping.
Related Press and Media Coverage
- Sept 29th, 2012: Cleveland to Build Skate Park in The Flats
- Sept 29th, 2012: Cleveland contracts designer, builder for new skatepark in the Flats
- Sept 29th, 2012: Press Release: City awards Design/Build Contract to Grindline
- May 10, 2012: Putting the 'metro' in Metroparks: Expansion follows population back to city center
- May 9, 2012: Cleveland Metroparks Aquires Rivergate Park Property
- May 16, 2011: Cleveland rolling ahead with Flats skate park
- April 15, 2011: Tony Hawk Foundation Awards $25,000 to Cleveland Skateboard Park in the Flats
- Feb 15 2011: Plain Dealer Editorial: A new skatepark by the Cuyahoga? Cool!
- Feb 2011: Planned skateboard park in Cleveland could have big impact as part of recreation hub in the Flats
- Jan 2011: Projects along the Cuyahoga River, in downtown Cleveland present opportunities for the Flats
- April 2010: City of Cleveland closes skate park at North Coast Harbor, but considers new park in the Flats
The Crooked River Skate Park is located west of Hart Crane Memorial Park off Columbus Road on Merwin Road.
