POCATELLO — A groundbreaking will be held this week for the new Optimist Skatepark near City Hall, ushering in a new era for local action sports fans who have eagerly awaited the arrival of such a facility for decades.
The Pocatello Parks and Recreation Department worked in conjunction with the Southeast Idaho Skatepark Association on the final design of Optimist Skatepark, which was unveiled last week.
The community is invited to attend the groundbreaking event at noon on Friday at the site of the skatepark near North Eighth Avenue and East Sherman Street.
City leaders previously held an open house in January with Pillar Design Studios owner and operator Brad Siedlecki, where he presented four possible skatepark designs to local residents. Utilizing feedback from local skateboard organizations, community members and city officials, the final design for Optimist Skatepark was developed.
The new skatepark will feature a large bowl, quarter pipe, stairs, ledges and rails and will be 7,000 to 8,000 square feet in size.
“We received so much feedback from our local skateboarders about the four designs presented (at the open house),” said Anne Butler, Pocatello parks and recreation director. “I think we’ve found the perfect balance to give everyone something they really wanted in this design.”
The $500,000 project was funded with American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, funds and an additional $25,000 will be donated to the city later this month by the Southeast Idaho Skatepark Association to add additional features such as the stair set, second access and an Idaho state shaped feature on the quarter pipe.
The association is also working together with Brandon and Stacie Nichols to fundraise for a memorial to be built at the skatepark for Brandon Chevy Nichols, their 16-year-old son and an avid skateboarder who tragically passed away last August.
The city expects crews from Artisan Skateparks to begin construction on the new skatepark sometime in early April. If all goes according to plan, local skateboarders could be sliding, grinding and kick-flipping at the new park by August of this year.