The Torguson Park Skatepark in North Bend is getting an overhaul and expansion.

The park is owned by North Bend but managed by the Si View Metropolitan Park District. Si View Metro Parks has hired Grindline — a Seattle based concrete skatepark design and construction company that has created parks all over the country — to create the new skatepark design.

Grindline lead designer and CEO Micah Shapiro is the lead on the project and designed the update. He said he grew up in the Northwest, has been a skateboarder since 1986 and has been working with Grindline since 2005.

He said he skates all the parks he designs and he’s excited to try this one.

“I’m actually really looking forward to this one,” he said. “This is going to be a really cool design and a fun one to go skate at. So I’m looking forward to cruising out to North Bend to skate it once it’s built.”

The total cost for the project is an estimated $700,000, and it will be funded by a Si View Metro Parks voter approved capital bond. Grindline and Si View underwent a community feedback process for the project to gather input on the skatepark during two public meetings.

The skatepark will be completely redeveloped and grow from its current size of 6,000 square feet to some 13,000 square feet.

Shapiro said various phases of the planning process have been completed — such as completing design documents and getting proper permitting from the city — and now the next step will be to assemble the bid package with Si View Metro Parks and put it out to bid likely sometime in January.

The goal is to get construction started in the early spring so the park will be ready for skaters in the summer. The park will be open to people of all ages and skill levels, he said, and there also will be a gathering area.

“It’s designed really for all ages and all ability levels, so anyone from a beginner just starting out to someone that’s up to a really advanced level, and the idea is that there’s kind of a way to incrementally build your skills,” he explained.

Shapiro said the skatepark has essentially three major skating components — street elements, a large snake run flow bowl, and a smaller, pool-style bowl.

He said the large flow bowl is a unique shape. Plans show it making many twists and turns.

Grindline also has designed skateparks in Seattle, Snoqualmie, Issaquah and throughout the state.

“Every one of our parks, we try to make them unique and different. So this one doesn’t look like the same thing as the one we did in Snoqualmie or Issaquah or any of the other nearby municipalities that we’ve done them in,” Shapiro said.

He also said the skatepark is a good fit for North Bend.

“North Bend is kind of growing into this recreation hotspot, and there’s a lot of stuff going on there as far as recreational activities,” he said. “With the pass as close as it is, and there’s a huge mountain biking scene in the area and a lot of places for that, and then (Si View Metro Parks) is working on all these other recreational projects throughout the community, so it is becoming this great, great place and the skatepark’s going to be a great addition to that.”

Torguson park altogether is 17.3 acres. It also houses five ball fields, a soccer field, restrooms, a concession area, picnic shelter, playground, climbing tower, bike park, paved trail with fitness stations, and access to the Snoqualmie Valley Trail. Parking spaces are available for up to 190 vehicles.

More information can be found on the Si View Metropolitan Park District website, siviewpark.org.