Skatepark loose ends being wrapped up
Feb. 27—While a formal opening date for the Railyard Skate Park is still to be announced, the skate park committee is tying up some loose ends involving the financing of the all-concrete facility.
The Built to Play Foundation provided the initial $250,000 matching grant for the skate park, and also provided an additional $50,000 grant based on the skate park's projected environmental impact. Design features such as green space around the concrete, and a drainage system, made it qualified.
Half of the $50,000 was released prior to construction. The other half should be released with the skate park's official opening, according to skate park committee member John Craig, principal officer of Lockport Community Services Inc. and 1st Ward alderman.
While he's currently unsure of the method by which the grant will be considered paid, Craig is hoping that Built to Play representative Trevor Staples will stop by with a check at the skate park's grand opening.
"They might do a review of the environmental expenses, or come out (on) opening day," he said.
Additional funds, of the in-kind variety, will show on the skate park balance sheet once the City of Lockport erects $12,000 worth of signage directing visitors to the skate park. Once that occurs, Craig said, the Niagara River Greenway Commission will release $30,000, its pledge to the project.
The design and construction of the new Rail Yard Skate Park were funded almost entirely from grants. The original Built to Play grant was for $250,000, and the match was raised by Craig and the grassroots group Friends of the Railyard Skate Park. Matching funds came from the Grigg Lewis Foundation ($125,000), the Verizon Media Foundation ($25,000), the John R. Oishei Fund ($28,000) and the City of Lockport ($10,000 on top of the signage pledge), as well as smaller, individual donors including Kristina Schutt, who donated her late son Jacob Minnick's $4,500 college scholarship from GEICO.
In the skate park committee's Monday meeting, there was some talk about installing a plaque at the skate park to recognize smaller contributors. In addition, committee member Rich Hoose, a veteran skater, said he has fielded offers to donate benches around the skate park. The prospective donors want to know "what they'll get" for their donations, meaning what size and placement options are available for a certain amount of money, so the committee decided to create a standard application to facilitate donations.
Alderman-at-large Kevin Kirchberger noted that the Redmen Club would like to build a gazebo close to the skate park.
Once accessories are in place, any extra money that was donated would be put toward skate park maintenance expenses, Craig said.
