BY BRANDY TEMPLETON
The Town of Mooresville officially opened its new $2.8 million skatepark with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday afternoon.
Located at 748 W. Iredell Avenue, the new facility is the largest skate park in the Carolinas. The park has two bowls and an urban street course, a viewing area and restrooms.
Mayor Miles Atkins said the skatepark will attract visitors from across the region.
“Every detail was designed by skaters for skaters,” Atkins said.
Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Qualls said the new park helps diversify the town’s parks and recreational offerings.
“It’s not all about stick and ball sports,” she said. “We need to invest in alternative sports also.”
Count Hudson Myers, 16, among those who are thankful for the new skatepark. He’s been driving to Denver to skate.
“Now I actually have somewhere good to skate,” he said.
Commissioner Bobby Compton spoke about growing up and strapping skates to a board and skating down a hill near Parkview Elementary.
“Look what we’ve evolved to,” he said. “We’re always looking to the future.”
Pam Reidy, director of parks and recreation, thanked Glenn Merlin and Bill Hamilton of CLH Design, Troy Luttman of Luttman Architecture, Cory Blair and Andy Beachler of JD Goodrum, Project Manager Chris Wyckoff, and Mooresville’s Board of Commissioners for making the new park a reality.
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Awesome! Hopefully the older crew will allow the younger kids to use the park without screaming at them and cursing.
Too bad not as celebratory towards Josh’s Farmers Market … Such hypocrisy. Shame on all of you!
No one cares. Fix the traffic problems and rent hikes.
I agree! Don’t draw more people here until you fix the traffic problems! There are already too many cars on our roads as it is.
In a day and age where there is an adolescent mental health CRISIS and there is no open talk about how many of our teens have self harming thoughts, and in a time where our children are stuck on a screen communicating through phone apps, it’s appalling to read all the negative comments regarding traffic rather than to express gratitude for the fact that there is now just one more outdoor interactive place where our children can socialize in a healthy manner, not to mention a place where skaters can ride safely without getting hit by a car.
As someone that has been here for 20 years and also hates the traffic, I agree. It will cause more traffic slightly, yes, but for a huge benefit in a healthy outlet for our youth. Our youth are our future. “A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit.”
If you don’t care, then why are you commenting? ?
This is a great example of Mooresville investing in young people. The skater community is inviting and encouraging to each other, and I, as a parent, am excited.
Wonderful
Simply awesome
Kids need this
They are our future
Invest in kids
Cannot go wrong