Snoqualmie to officially open new skatepark

Snoqualmie Skate Jam will shocase the new skatepark on June 8.

By Madison Miller • May 28, 2019 1:30 am

The Snoqualmie Skatepark will have its official grand opening ceremony June 8.

The skate park, located at Snoqualmie Community Park, completed construction last fall.

The skate park is located to the south of an existing basketball court at the park and is next to the YMCA and community center building.

According to parks superintendent Larry White, the park has been in the city’s capital improvement plan since 2007, but the idea of creating a skate park has been on the city’s to-do list since the community park was created some 20 years ago. He said he thinks “it’s a really cool project.”

About 35 percent of Snoqualmie’s population is younger than 18. Snoqualmie communications manager Joan Pliego said the city has several parks but none that are specifically geared toward teenagers.

“It’s been a goal for Snoqualmie for years,” she said. “The city has wanted this skate park for a long time. It’s important for our local teens have a place that’s more for them.”

While plans have been in the works for several years, the only thing that kept it from happening was a lack of funding.

Snoqualmie city engineers estimated the project cost at $462,000. The majority of the money that has been allocated to the project came from state and county funding, including $175,000 from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Grant secured by Sen. Mark Mullet and $176,000 King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert directed to the project from interest returned on bonds used to build the Kingdome. Additional funding came from a mixture of smaller grants and private donations.

“We want to recognize and thank all of the supporters that made this park possible,” Mayor Larson said. “The city invested only $10,080 into the park, with the other $453,500 paid for with funding from various King County grants, the Washington Recreation Conservation Office, the YMCA of Greater Seattle, and local corporations, such as, Square One Distribution and RH2 Engineering, as well as other private donations. This project is a perfect example of the community coming together to provide recreation for local youth.”

The skate park was designed by Grindline, which constructs skate parks across the country, including several parks in Washington — Issaquah, Bellevue, Carnation, Kent and Seattle.

According to Pliego, the skate park has been a success since it opened last fall. The skate park is open to all ages and all skill levels, she said. However, there is an area designated for the more advanced skater as it has a deep bowl.

Pliego said the city is happy to officially open the skate park to the community. The city will celebrate the opening with a Skate Jam on June 8. The event will hold a ribbon-cutting with the mayor and Sen. Mark Mullet and King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert. The event will present five live demos from semi-professional skateboarders as well as provide free pizza, music, T-shirts and prizes.

“We’re so excited to have this event and have people come out and enjoy this great park,” she said.

The Skate Jam starts at 11 a.m. on June 8. For more information, go online to the city website.