SKATEPARK AT SCALZI PARK NOW OPEN
After three years of planning and building, the Skatepark at Scalzi Park finally opened in July to the delight of teenagers across the City and region. The approximately 10,000 square foot concrete skatepark is a unique addition to Stamford’s City Park system that is drawing praise from avid skaters and impressed City residents alike.
The Skatepark at Scalzi was built in response to the surge in skateboarding as a recreational activity amongst a group that includes mostly teenagers, but lists amongst its enthusiasts people in their 30s and 40s. An article published in the New York Times on Sunday, August 28th, highlighted Stamford’s skatepark as one of many that have been built in the region over the past several years, but credits the City with implementing a concrete design that is well regarded by skaters.
“I am pleased that after a long planning process that the Skatepark at Scalzi is now open to the public,” Mayor Malloy said. “From everything I have seen and heard, City kids are taking full advantage of enjoying the state of the art park that provides a safe and fun activity for them.”
Planning for the park began in April 2004 when Stamford residents attended the first design meeting for the Scalzi Park master plan and advocated for the creation of a skatepark. Throughout the master plan process, a steadfast group of skaters attended every meeting, and the skatepark remained a central feature of the design. As part of the contract approval process, skaters and parents made presentations to the Parks and Recreation Commission, Board of Finance, and the Board of Representatives in support of the project. City Officials were ultimately persuaded of the need for a facility.
After the master plan process was completed by Vollmer Associates (now Stantec Consulting Services, Inc.) in April 2005, construction drawings for the skatepark were initiated. Vollmer and the City conducted design meetings with skate boarders and inline skaters to determine what style of park would best suit Stamford residents. At the third design meeting in November 2005, the skaters unanimously voted for a cement facility. At that point, Vollmer relinquished control of the project because cement skateparks are constructed primarily by companies that both design and build them.
The City issued a Request for Qualifications for a Design/Build concrete skatepark in March 2006, and a Request for Proposals in July 2006. Grindline Skateparks, located in Seattle, won the contract with a fee proposal of $309,850. Renowned throughout the country for their innovations and quality construction, the skatepark in Scalzi is the company’s first project in the northeast.
Construction on the park began in March of 2007. With the help of a mild spring, Grindline completed the project ahead of schedule and below their projected budget. Grindline determined that the design would be enhanced by an additional section, which the company installed at no cost to the City.
The City is grateful to several local businesses that contributed substantially to the project. Paramount Stone Co., the concrete supplier for the project, donated a black granite dedication stone. Shawn’s Lawns Inc. contributed the clean fill required to accommodate the additional grading, and Target provided four benches around the skatepark for spectators.
The Skatepark at Scalzi is a series of bowls with a street section that includes stairs and rails. There is a progression of easier to more challenging elements that separate experienced and inexperienced skaters from one another. The rules and regulations require that a helmet be used at all times, and no children under ten are allowed in the park without adult supervision.
The next step in the master plan will be to move the basketball court from the west side of the park to the east side, adjacent to the skatepark. That project should be complete later this year. In 2008, the City will build a lighted path around the perimeter of the oval and enhanced parking will follow.
The Skatepark at Scalzi Park is open daily from 8 a.m. until one half hour before sunset. |