Skatepark supporters ask council for grant help and repairs; city staff pledge small immediate aid

A resident group and organizers for the local skate community addressed the City Council on July 10 to request help advancing a new skate park and to seek near-term repairs at the existing facility.

Molly Jennings, who identified herself as a representative of the Raffle Skate community, told the council the group has coordinated events, cleanups and equipment donations and that those efforts showed local support for a new park. “We’ve partnered with an organization called Skate Park Respect…we have distributed thousands of dollars worth of donated skate equipment,” Jennings said.

Jennings listed immediate needs at the current park — lighting for safe evening use, warped metal ramps that heat dangerously in summer, ineffective shade, missing benches and the absence of signage advising users to skate at their own risk. She said the group had explored forming a nonprofit but had encountered obstacles and asked the council to “consider the needs and wants of the community” and help with grant matching or other resources.

Response from council and staff: Council members thanked Jennings and said staff would look for small, immediate measures. One councilor said parks staff had located a bench in storage that might be allocated to the skate area; another offered continued engagement and encouragement.

Ending: The community group will continue seeking larger funding for a new park while staff pursue short-term fixes such as benches and continued coordination on grant searches.