A group of skateboarding enthusiasts received the greenlight from Roanoke Rapids City Council Tuesday to proceed with fundraising efforts for a do-it-yourself park at Emry.
This consensus came after City Manager Kelly Trayhnham reported that it would cost around $70,000 for two of the abandoned tennis courts at Emry to be removed and construct the concrete padding as well as other improvements that would be needed for a skatepark. “It wouldn’t take up the whole entire portion of it. It would just be a third of it.”
Traynham said there were grant opportunities for the group that pitched the idea to the council in August. “Before any fundraising efforts or grant applications can go forward it’s important that we have the council’s support for it.”
The city manager said there is huge community support for the DIY skatepark that would be geared to beginning skaters. “We would still have plenty of room for any other type of potential recreational uses. Any fundraising would be specific to a skatepark. It still leaves plenty of space for the potential of pickleball courts or some of the other recreational amenities that have been discussed.”
Justin Kerr, who has spearheaded the effort along with other skaters, said since the last meeting he has talked with quite a few people in the community. “They all seem really onboard for it. (The tennis courts at) Emry Park are in disuse and not safe to use. I’ve had multiple companies, business owners come to me and say, ‘How much do you need? What do you want?’”
Kerr said he has had churches and others come to him and tell him they were looking forward to helping the group out.
It is possible the group can make the skatepark a reality without the use of grants, he said. “People have been talking to me and saying that maybe we could raise that in the community.”
Kerr said the $70,000 includes fixing the fence, the pour-over of concrete and getting the lights working.
While council did not take a vote on the matter, it did give its consent.
As far as the remainder of the tennis courts, Traynham said, “We still have a clean slate for any other potential uses. I don’t see where a skatepark area would be restrictive or prohibitive with any other remaining uses of the property.”
She said the skatepark idea has been based on community effort and support. “We really need to look through our recreation plans and really see what the community wants out there.”
Kerr said afterward, “I’m really pleased with how the meeting went tonight. The city council is very open to our ideas and I think they really like the community support we’ve got behind us.” He said, “I’ve got very high hopes for the skatepark project. I’ve had a lot of people in the community reach out to me in the last month and ask how they could help?”
Said Kerr: “It feels like the community agrees that they want to see change and improvement in the community. I don’t have any doubt this town can come together and raise the funds we need. Then, like Mayor (Emery) Doughtie said, maybe with the help of the city to find a good grant, we can redo more of the park to make it more of a multipurpose complex.”
