DOVER, Del.- Plans to build a city skate park have seen a lot of ups and downs, but city officials and local skaters have finally come to an agreement.
A rectangular section within Dover's Schutte Park is on the brink of a transformation.
Brandon Mesa, a driving force behind this initiative, explained, "We are going to make a community built skate park."
Since the City of Dover declared its inability to finance a brand new skate park this fiscal year, the local skateboarding community has been on the hunt for an alternative.
Mesa pointed out, "Right now middle Delaware is underserved as far as skate parks go."
Initially, skaters obtained permission from the Parks and Recreation department to construct a DIY skate park behind Dover's former post office. However, those plans fell through when the property was sold to a developer.
Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen described the prior agreement as the result of a misunderstanding among city leaders.
"We raised about $3,000 on GoFundMe from the community to do that original project," Mesa said. "But we saved all those funds and we are actually just getting started at the new spot."
Dover City Manager, Dave Hugg, said the city will pay for the concrete, while skaters and volunteers, like Jordan Anthony, will use the GoFundMe money to build skate ramps and half-pipes.
"The skaters came to me and asked 'Hey could you help?' and I never built a skate park before but I am an expert at all forms on masonry so I figured it would be a nice little challenge," Anthony explained.
He said the Schutte Park location is even more favorable than the post office backlot.
"The land there was kind of wavy so we would have had to fight to get it how we wanted it, but I feel like it's going to be much easier to get this project to a very professional level."
Mesa said he is relieved to move past the communication issues and excited to start this new chapter. He said with a grin, "We are pretty excited that the city is willing to give us this opportunity to do something as a community."
A professionally built skate park is still planned for Schutte Park in fiscal year 2025 and will eventually connect with the community-built one. The DIY is expected to be up and running in about five weeks.
