Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Skatepark supporters urge Moab City Council to fund new Humboldt skatepark
Summary
Several residents and members of the Southern Utah Coalition of Concrete Athletes urged the Moab City Council to prioritize a replacement for the aging Humboldt Skatepark, citing community benefits for youth, recreation and safety.
Several skateboarders and community members told the Moab City Council on Feb. 25 that a new, professionally designed skatepark would provide long-term recreational and social benefits for Moab.
Alexander Whiteock, representing the Southern Utah Coalition of Concrete Athletes (SUCCA), told the council the current Humboldt Skatepark “gets constant use” despite its “cracks” and “death cracks,” and urged investment in a new facility that supports both “incremental progression and bold ambition.”
“Once we build it, if we build it right, it becomes our legacy,” Whiteock said.
Jacob Michelangelo Arqueta Roman, who identified himself as a 22-year-old resident who grew up in Moab, said skateboarding helped him overcome personal challenges and argued a new park would strengthen community ties and youth development.
“I think skateboarding and just having a new park in general can offer a lot to the Moab community,” Roman said.
Carson, another resident who said he moved to Moab from Tampa, Florida, described how skateboarding helped him form friendships and discipline, and recommended a professionally guided construction effort if volunteers are again involved in building a new park.
Why it matters: speakers tied the rink’s value to recreation accessible without a vehicle, youth mental health and a durable community amenity. City staff and councilors acknowledged the park’s inclusion in the city’s parks master plan and said they would explore funding and capital-improvement planning.
Council and staff response: After public comment, the mayor noted Parks and Recreation leadership was in the room and said the remarks would be considered. Later in the meeting Parks Department staff said a skatepark was identified as a community priority in the parks master plan, and city staff said they plan to add a skatepark to the capital improvement program (CIP) list for future funding cycles, subject to grant availability and council priorities.
Discussion vs. decision: The remarks recorded were public comment and staff discussion; the council did not adopt a project or allocate funds during the Feb. 25 meeting. Staff indicated the skatepark would be considered for the CIP and for future grant cycles rather than being funded immediately.
