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Skate Park update: Groundbreaking held for expansion

By James Day

Backers of the expansion of the Judy Schmidt Memorial Skate Park held a groundbreaking Sept. 11 for the next phase of the project.

Actually breaking ground given the dry summer proved to be a challenge, so organizer Sue Roessler said she “had to bring potting soil to layer on top so we could at least ‘move some earth.’”

Jason Franz

Silverton Mayor Kyle Palmer was on hand and noted that it was always the dream of Skate Park founder Jason Franz to add some “beginner components to help even the youngest skaters find their way into
the park.”

New features planned, Roessler said, include a memorial to Franz, a bench, a small extension wall, a ditch feature, a small roller and a flat rail.

A community fundraising effort put together more than $50,000 to expand the park, with Dreamland Skateparks of Lincoln City hoping to start the build this fall and finish by Dec. 30. 

Key fundraisers and backers of the project Dakota Becerra, Ethan Piaskowski and Bobby Sunshine also made remarks during the ceremony.

Palmer added that in the coming months the City Council “will address the possibility of installing lights at the skate park, adding valuable access to the facility during our winter months.”