Construction is slated to begin this summer on a new skate park in Cape Girardeau.
Brock Davis, Division Manager for the Parks and Recreation Department, says the skateboard community has a large presence in the city.
“Of course, anybody who has business in Cape knows that skateboarders like to skate up and down the sidewalks,” says Davis.
The park was approved by the city council last month, and will be located on East Rodney Drive, across the street from Arena Park.
A skate park currently exists within Missouri Park, but it’s small size has not shown to cater to the city’s need.
Davis says the request for a new park seems to have grown over the past few years.
“We have a group of skateboarders in Cape, a skateboarder’s association,” says Davis. “They’ve kind of grown. They’re getting older now, so they need a bigger place to skate.”
The department is working in coordination with American Ramp Company, a skate park construction company based out of Joplin, MO. The park will include a variety of features: grinding rails, slopes, what Davis calls a “skate bowl”, steps, and several ramps. Davis says it will be completely concrete, allowing even bikers and rollerbladers to enjoy it.
Features will cater to all ages and experience levels, but lighting will not be provided at night at the skate park.
Construction could begin as early as June, depending on the company’s current projects. A name has not been decided on for the park, and tax collection for the project will not begin until 2019.