Skaters of all ages frequent the Chattanooga Skate Park with their boards in hand, ready to ride the ramps of chipped wood and well-used surfaces.
“It’s where we all grew up skating, so there’s lots of nostalgia tied in with it and a lot of love for that place,” said Nick Moore, an avid skater and owner of the Cassette Skateshop in St. Elmo.
Fading graffiti adorns the ramps, and camaraderie shows among skaters between tricks.
City plans to create a new park have been delayed because of a higher bidding proposal than the allocated $3.15 million, according to the Parks and Outdoors website. In June, $2.15 million was allocated for the park in Chattanooga’s fiscal year 2025 budget after $1 million was identified in the previous year’s budget.
“Until we have a final contract for construction that is within budget, we will not be able to announce a construction schedule,” the website says. “We are still hoping to be able to start construction as soon as possible, hopefully in the summer of 2025.”
The revamped park is set to be in the same place as the current one and alongside the existing roller rink. There will be 30,000 square feet of skateable concrete surface, a skateable restroom building, an updated dog park and public on-street parking.
Logan Lewis, founder of ChattSkates, a community organization for the skating scene, said the new park design is awesome, and he is excited for the shade and free parking.
Currently, 10 parking spots are free except during major events. The remaining lot is pay-to-park.
“They came out with this beautiful design that incorporates some of that urban architecture,” he said.
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STILL WAITING
Last year, former administrator of Parks and Outdoors Scott Martin told the Chattanooga Times Free Press the park would close in the fall, and it would take six months to complete, with plans of reopening in late 2024 or early 2025.
“Here we are close to nine months after they said they would be starting construction in the spring, a couple months in the spring, nothing started,” Lewis said. “No news here. We are still waiting.”
Despite the wear-and-tear of the 25-year-old structures, skaters of all ages are found on the mini ramps or cruising across the concrete. Even still, Lewis said beginners may not be able to recognize that some small cracks in the ground or in the ramp could leave them seriously injured.
“It’s clear that skateboarding isn’t going anywhere,” Lewis said. “We want a safe place to be able to ride our skateboards, ride our rollerblades, ride our bikes. We need a concrete and permanent structure to ride on.
“That’s what we’ve been pushing for so long, and the city has finally put out a full design and said that they’re following through with that, but somehow we have not begun our construction.”
Brian Smith, director of marketing and communications for Chattanooga Parks and Outdoors, said the city is actively refining the design to deliver as much of the original community-informed concept as possible, while remaining fiscally responsible.
The department is awaiting the results of the Building Resilient and Active Grants program. This could contribute an additional $500,000 that will get it closer to its goal.
“While the project has experienced some delays, we remain fully committed to delivering a high-quality, multi-functional park that reflects community priorities despite the challenges of rising costs,” Smith said in an email.
For years, the now disassembled advocacy group, Chattanooga Skate Park Project, hosted litter cleanup or events for local handymen — many of them skateboarders or rollerbladers — to do park maintenance. Now, Moore said he submits requests for needed repairs to the city and added that the connection has been very positive.
Smith said Parks and Outdoors provides maintenance as part of its rotation and responds promptly to 311 reports. He said the department addresses safety concerns as they are reported.
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Chattanooga Skate Park project delayed
POCKET PARK
It is unlawful to “skate on skateboards or aggressive skates” in downtown Chattanooga, according to the city’s code of ordinances. This ordinance, created in the early 2000s, limits skating in downtown even as a mode of transportation.
With limited areas for skating and BMX biking, Moore came up with a solution while the Chattanooga Skate Park is under construction.
With the City Council’s approval, he plans to create a pocket park in the CARTA parking lot adjacent to his shop. He plans to meet with the city to discuss parameters and operation, according to Moore.
Moore has started a fundraiser, which currently has over $6,300 of the $10,000 goal. A fundraising auction and raffle will take place June 28 at Cassette Skateshop to raise the remaining funds.
“Once we get the pocket park going, it’s going to open us up for opportunities to team up with,” he said.
Moore hopes to partner up with the Bethlehem Center, South Side Recreational Center and other community centers to host skate clinics.
“Anyone that comes in here, I just want them to know that they’re going to be treated with the utmost respect, and I will happily answer all of their questions about anything,” he said.
Like Moore, Lewis describes the community as people who take care of each other and look out for each other. The park serves as a place for children and families, as well as seasoned skaters who have been visiting the park for decades since its opening in 1999.
“We have toddlers and we have professionals,” Lewis said. “We have artists, we have … professors, we have school lunch ladies, we literally have the entire gamut of the community that comes down here to enjoy this space.”
Contact staff writer Cassanda Castillo at ccastillo@timesfreepress.com.