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Commission debates removing skate-park equipment and leasing lot for district parking
Summary
Commissioners spent extended time weighing whether to remove deteriorated skate-park equipment, keep pieces for younger users, or convert the area to a leased parking lot requested by a development district; staff cited a roughly $5,800 crack-seal/paint estimate and projected modest annual lease revenue (~$6,300 at $15/month per stall).
The Park and Recreation Commission devoted substantial discussion on Nov. 20 to the disposition of aging skate-park equipment and a district request to convert the site back to a parking lot and lease it for resident parking.
Commissioners and staff raised safety concerns about several pieces — including a pyramid that staff described as "kittywampus" and half-pipe landing decks with rust holes — and noted that once removed, equipment is unlikely to be reinstalled. Speaker 4 estimated a contractor quote of about $5,800 (rounded in the memo to $6,000) to crack-seal, seal and repaint the lot if the city converts the site back to parking.
Speaker 4 said the district approached the commission asking for early removal and a lease, proposing to handle permit sales and to secure confirmed parking stalls for their development. "They're asking us to remove the equipment as soon as possible and basically convert it back to a parking lot, and they would like to basically set up a lease with the city," Speaker 4 said. Commissioners discussed an MOU or lease arrangement and whether to retain ownership rather than sell the parcel.
Staff presented a rough revenue example: at $15 per month per stall, the lot could generate about $6,300 a year — money commissioners said could fund small projects or be saved for larger needs. Commissioners expressed competing priorities: preserving a play space for young children who use the existing equipment versus responding to downtown parking needs and a district’s development demands.
No formal motion to remove the equipment was made at this meeting. The commission discussed setting a target date for decommissioning (options included an end-of-year deadline or a one-year extension), and several commissioners suggested returning the matter to commission review in September 2026 after staff and district conversations and possible fundraising/design updates. Staff also said they are working with national design firm GrindLine on a new skate-park design and expected clearer timelines in two to three months.
Next steps recorded in the discussion: the commission will revisit the item in its September 2026 meeting and, if needed, refer any removal or lease decision to the common council. Commissioners also agreed to preserve Rotary-branded panels for reuse and explore partial removal or repair of specific unsafe pieces.
