Skatepark Committee moves forward

(12/14) At its December 13 meeting, Commissioner Crum update her fellow Commissioners on the status of efforts to build a skatepark in the Woodsboro Municipal Park.

The council gave its go ahead for building the park at its October meeting, looking to emulate the upon the success of the Thurmont skate park which just celebrated its one year anniversary .

With a community park that provides disc golf, baseball, sports fields, playgrounds, a fishing pond, and more, skate board enthusiasts in the town are looking to expand the park’s offering with a skate park.

In October, resident Ben Marshall presented an overview of a potential skatepark project, pointing out that there are none of its kind in the immediate area, the closest being in Thurmont and Hagerstown, which are usually crowded. "It would be really nice to walk through town, across the street to our local park if we get this built," Marshall said.

Upon speaking with the Thurmont Skatepark Committee, Marshall found costs for the 50 x 80 foot Skateway to the Mountains totaled $80,000 which included grind rail metal and concrete, as well as donations of lighting and benches.

Marshall looks to develop Woodsboro park as a bigger size of 80 x 100 feet to give skaters ample room, as well as see Woodsboro’s park made accessible for BMX bikes, which Thurmont’s does not allow.

Rough estimate costs place the proposed park around $120,000, not including lighting or benches.

While the town hopes to obtain State grants cover as much of the parks cost as it can, the town will not be eligible to apply for Program Open Space (POS) funding until the Spring.

Commissioner Crum said that the Skate Park Committees is in the process of filing the paperwork to become a 501.C chartable organization which will allow it to solicit and accept donations to build the park. Crum said that fundraising has already begun and donations are starting to come in.

Crum inquired if the council would be open to placing a sign at the skate park entrance, which in addition to listing the rules for using the park, could also be used to recognize the business and individuals within the town that helped it become possible.

Crum’s requested resulted in a light-hearted discussion of how the supporters would be grouped – "most signs break sponsors into gold, silver and bronze levels," Barnes said. Crum nodded her head. "But were are talking skateboards here, and they have their own language. I think they are thinking about grouping them under titles of given skateboarding moves – Whatever move would win you a gold medal at the Olympics would be the name of the top sponsor, &c. "

Barnes’s, who voted in favor of the skakepark, said he looks forward to seeing it build and being used by the kids of all ages in town.

Woodsboro is not the only town looking to follow Thurmont down the skateboard ramp. The Walkersville Town Council has also agreed to explore the building of a skate park in their community park as well.