Sidewalk surfers will soon get a new place to showcase high-flying skateboarding.
A new skatepark is in the works at the new Fire Station Park in the near future, according to a press release from the city of Fort Worth.
The Fort Worth city council approved more funding for the park in lieu of a master plan set to be implemented for the historic park at 1616 Hemphill Street. The funding totaled more than $1 million.
Construction began in July 2022 and is expected to be complete by March 2023, following a recent extension in expected completion time.
The new skatepark will be more than 15,000 square feet and feature a diverse set of different types of equipment to reflect the different skill levels of individual skateboarders, connected by paved walks throughout the park, a market plaza, community green, and lighting.
Some of the other changes the additional funding will provide include a pedestrian walkway, pump track, steel pavilion, lawn turf for events, and more street parking at angles.
The new skatepark will be located in the historic Fairmount neighborhood, near major transportation hubs. The location was selected primarily to address the needs of skaters who lacked safe places to skate and socialize.
The skate park will be called “Dickies Skate Plaza,” according to a report from January by Paper City magazine.
The City of Fort Worth officially adopted the master plan of improvements to Fire Station Park in 2019, when it allocated $400,000 towards phase one design and development. In addition to the recently approved funding from the city, community and corporate fundraising have continued since then. The total cost of the project, including design and construction, is $2,697,092. According to the press release, the project is funded by the City’s Park Dedication Fees Fund, private funds raised by Historic Southside Inc., and Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone 4 funds.
Skateparks are clearly having their moment. Last week, Garland opened up a new skatepark called “The Boneyard” which is more than 46,000 square feet, as reported by The Dallas Express. The Boneyard is located inside of Rick Oden Park.
The Boneyard has areas of the park, which cater to different skateboarding levels, from beginner to expert. The beginner’s area, a first of its kind in Texas, is large enough to host community classes.
