BENTONVILLE -- A skate park will be part of the new 8th Street Gateway Park.
A meeting to reveal designs for the skate park was held April 20 at the Community Center with about 75 t0 80 people attending. A public input meeting in February drew close to 200 people, said David Wright, Parks and Recreation director.
"They were from all skill levels and ages," Wright said of the first meeting. "There was one person in a wheelchair who said, 'Don't forget about us."'
City staff drilled down at the April meeting into what skate park users want in the venue, asking questions like what kind of railing was preferred, Wright said.
Roy Rodezno, founder/president of the Northwest Skateboarding Foundation, was at the first meeting.
"We had a good conversation about the impact that skateboarding has and how it's changed from before," he said. "A focus David mentioned that was important is that it's to be designed by the community since it's for the community, which has been awesome seeing our feedback being taken."
California Skateparks in Upland, Calif., did the designs.
California Skateparks is "the No. 1 skate park builder in the world," Rodezno said.
"Skateboarding is now in the Olympics, and they are the ones who build the parks for Olympics and other top pro competitions like Street League Skateboarding," he said.
The city has a 25,000-square-foot skate park at Memorial Park that was built in 2001 and will remain open, Wright said.
The new skate park will be on 2½ acres. Cost is estimated at between $2 million to $2.5 million, Wright said.
Anthony Dezaldivar, 26, of Garfield said he's excited about the new skate park. The one at Memorial Park needs updating because there are cracks in the concrete, he said. Memorial Park skate park is often crowded since skaters aren't the only ones who use and enjoy it. People on scooters and bikes also use the park, he said.
"I'm just overall excited," he said. "It's going to build the community up. I can't wait for it to open."
Jose Hernandez, 34, of Centerton attended the meetings about the skate park. Hernandez said he's excited for the new park and believes it will be an attraction for Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas.
More cities should invest in skate parks because not everyone wants to play team sports. There are also life lessons from skateboarding, Hernandez said.
"It teaches dedication and commitment," Hernandez said. "We are willing to fall 100 times to get [a move] right. It's a lifestyle, and it's an art form."
In December 2019, Walmart announced the donation of 75 acres for future park development. A previous 23-acre donation from the Walton family helped establish nearly 100 acres of available greenspace west of the intersection of Southwest Eighth and Southwest I streets that will make up the 8th Street Gateway Park.
A $266 million bond issue approved by city voters in April 2021 included $32.75 million for parks, including $5 million for the 8th Street park. The bond also will pay for the downtown Quilt of Parks, Phillips Park renovation and upgrades to the Melvin Ford Aquatic Center at Memorial Park.
Wright said 8th Street Gateway Park will have three unique areas -- a west park, a park core and an east park. The skate park will be in the park core.
The total cost of the park is estimated at $20 million. The remaining $15 million will be raised through private fundraising. The goal is to build all three sections at once, Wright said.
The skate park project will have an impact in many ways, Rodezno said.
"First, it's showing the skate community that Bentonville is ready to listen to what the community has been needing for decades when it seemed neglected for decades and seeing biking being invested into while we have a decades-old skate park falling apart," he said.
Skateboarding has had a negative perspective in the past, he said.
"But really, it was trouble makers who happened to have a skateboard with them," he said. "Actual skateboarders that are dedicated to becoming good at skateboarding are super focused at the park, setting goals, solving problems as to the trick they want to get and committing themselves to achieving it. For hours at a time. That's what it takes to learn and become good. Which for some of us, you can't stop skating once you start. It takes over you but in a good way."
Parks and Recreation is working with PORT for the master plan for 8th Street Gateway Park. The plan is about 80% complete, Wright said. PORT is a public realm design and planning consultancy comprising landscape architects, architects, urban designers and planners, according to its website. Port has offices in Philadelphia and Chicago.
The plan is paid for by a Design Excellence Grant awarded by the Walton Family Foundation.
The design will align with Play Bentonville 2025, the master plan that highlighted the need for additional passive recreation spaces, public gathering areas, green spaces and trails to the west of Walton Boulevard, where the City reports 58% of residents currently live, according to the foundation website.
City parks provide access to recreational opportunities, increase property values, spur local economies, combat crime and protect cities from environmental impact, according to City Parks Alliance in Washington, D.C.
The 8th Street Park will be accessible by vehicle and bicycle, connecting via trail to Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, Creekside Park, Osage Park, Lake Bentonville and Citizens Park at the Community Center, according to the city.
The project remains on pace to be bid in November or December with dirt being moved in the first quarter of 2024, Wright said. The park is expected to open some time in mid-2025, he said.
"We are on time with this as of right now," Wright said.
Luke Packer of Pineville, Mo., skates Thursday at the Memorial Park skate park in Bentonville. A skate park will be part of the new 8th Street Gateway Park. Visit nwaonline.com/photos for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
Luke Packer of Pineville, Mo., skates Thursday at the Memorial Park skate park in Bentonville. A skate park will be part of the new 8th Street Gateway Park. Visit nwaonline.com/photos for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
Luke Packer of Pineville, Mo., skates Thursday at the Memorial Park skate park in Bentonville. A skate park will be part of the new 8th Street Gateway Park. Visit nwaonline.com/photos for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
This rendering shows the skate park planned for 8th Street Gateway Park in Bentonville. California Skateparks is designing the skate park. Port, a public realm design and planning firm, is working with the city on the master plan for 8th Street Gateway Park. COURTESY OF CALIFORNIA SKATEPARKSMore News
NoneOther skate parks
The Northwest Arkansas Skateboarding Foundation lists a number of skate parks across the area including:
Bentonville
Eureka Springs
Fayetteville
Gravette
Prairie Grove
Rogers
Siloam Springs
Springdale
Source: Northwest Arkansas Skateboarding Foundation