West Bend officials review decades-long search for permanent skate park; Friends group favors Regner sport court

At its Jan. 30 meeting, the West Bend Park and Recreation Commission heard an update on the long-running effort to find a permanent home and funding plan for the city's skate park.

Ryan, Recreation Supervisor for the City of West Bend Parks and Recreation, told commissioners the existing modular skate equipment was purchased in 2003 for about $80,000 and has been moved several times since. He said the Friends of West Bend Skate Park, a nonprofit formed in 2024, has evaluated 23 sites and identified six finalists: a privately owned parcel (under ongoing lease discussions), Regner Park (sport court area and the west side of the soccer field), Kister Island parkway green space, Riverside Disc Golf (hole 18), and Badger Middle School. "The Friends of West Bend Skate Park generated a list of potential sites throughout West Bend" and toured the six finalists, Ryan said.

The group emphasized a preference for a concrete facility sized to national guidance. "West Bend would need approximately 13,000 square feet of skate park to accommodate our population," Ryan said; he added the existing skate park footprint measures roughly 8,300 square feet. He also cited published cost estimates for concrete parks of $50 to $75 per square foot — a 13,000-square-foot facility would therefore be roughly $650,000 to $975,000, depending on site work and amenities.

Commissioners and staff discussed site-selection constraints: several finalist parcels are in the 100-year floodplain; some lack on-site restrooms or utilities; others are adjacent to residences or active park facilities (for example, Regner hosts large community events such as the mud run and Fourth of July activities). Ryan said city police have reviewed the candidate sites and that visibility, informal supervision and access to the Eisenbaum Trail and Riverwalk were priorities. He noted soil and subgrade suitability varied across sites: Riverside Disc Golf's site had suitable soils, while Regner and Kister Island raised more engineering questions.

Commissioner Craig, arguing for the Regner soccer-field location, said it "has parking, lighting, it's got everything already." Chair Mike (Chairman, Parks and Recreation Commission) said he favors a centralized location that is easy for children to reach by bike or on foot. Craig also asked about long-term use: "What happens in 20 years when nobody's skating anymore?" Chair Mike replied that the city's other youth-oriented facilities remain well used and that organizers expect multi-sport use (skateboarding, BMX, scooters) to sustain activity.

Friends of West Bend Skate Park representatives have prioritized a concrete park but acknowledged modular equipment as a contingency if funding falls short. Ryan said the nonprofit plans phased fundraising and wants a dialed-in site before launching major fundraising and design efforts: "For fundraising purposes, having the dialed in location specifically would be beneficial. We're not trying to take a vote tonight... but I would prefer a very specific location."

No formal action or vote occurred at the meeting on a preferred site; commissioners discussed public outreach and the possibility of a decision at a future meeting. Staff said soil borings, floodplain requirements and specific site engineering will be needed once a location is selected.

The Friends of West Bend Skate Park and staff plan to continue outreach and fundraising through 2025, seek skate-park designers and builders for RFQ/RFP processes, and appear at community events to build support. The commission discussed adding the item to next month's meeting agenda and encouraging public input before a vote.