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Project Description
Shrinking Lilac
Hillyard Skatepark
A project that
the Committee considers excellent, but was not submitted for
consideration of an award.
On April 17, 2004, a
ribbon was cut marking the grand opening of the Hillyard Skatepark on
the northeast corner of Harmon Park, just north of the Hillyard Business
District. Since then, the skatepark has become a citywide attraction, a
regional destination, and a noted stop on national skateboarding
circuits.
It all started with
the passage of the 1999 Park Bond. The measure included $200,000 for a
skatepark, and the Parks Department first suggested other parks for its
location. But surrounding neighborhoods objected, fearing that a
skatepark might attract vandalism, graffiti, and gangs. In the meantime
the Hillyard community began lobbying for the skatepark to be located in
Hillyard.
Once the Hillyard
location was established, Grindline, a skatepark design-build firm based
in Seattle, was hired. Grindline held several community charrettes that
included the participation of skateboarding youths as well as
representatives from the Hillyard Community, the Parks Department, and
the City of Spokane.
During the design
process, it was determined that the project would cost closer to
$250,000 to be done right. Grindline absorbed some of the costs
necessary to increase the size of the bowls, the Tony Hawk Foundation
awarded the project a $1,000 grant for construction, the Parks
Department found creative ways to make up the shortfall, and the
Hillyard Neighborhood Council allocated $35,000 of their Community
Development funds to the project.
Not only did Hillyard
put their dollars behind the project, they also rolled up their sleeves
and got to work. During construction, about 30 community volunteers
formed hand brigades to pass 5-gallon buckets of sand fill into the pit.
Paul Hamilton, former
Neighborhood Council Chair, notes, “the skatepark is probably the most
utilized square feet of parks property in the entire city.” None of the
fears voiced by the neighborhoods that rejected the skatepark have
transpired. The kids who frequent the skatepark have taken ownership of
the park – even shoveling snow so the park is useable 12 months of the
year. According to Hamilton, any vandalism has been minor, any graffiti
is quickly dealt with by the City’s Parks Department, and gangs do not
congregate at the park.
Desirable future
improvements include permanent restroom facilities and sidewalks to
provide better connectivity from the skatepark to the public
right-of-way and other features within the park.
The Design Review
Board commends the Hillyard Community, the Parks Department, and the
City for their collaborative efforts and a highly successful project.
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