Local advocates present modular-pilot plan for Troutdale skatepark; committee discusses sites and grants
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Summary
Nicholas Pellster and local skate advocate Tyler urged a modular, pilot approach to a Troutdale skatepark during a Parks Advisory Committee meeting, citing a PSU pilot that later secured a $300,000 Prosper Portland grant and a petition with 227 signatures. Committee members discussed potential sites (Reynolds High School courts, Sweet Briar, Sharon Nesbitt), liability and grant pathways such as the Tony Hawk Foundation.
Troutdale — A long-running proposal for a Troutdale skatepark returned to the Parks Advisory Committee on Feb. 18 with a presentation that emphasized smaller, modular pilots rather than a single large concrete bowl.
Nicholas Pellster, a Troutdale resident and Portland State University urban‑planning student, told the committee that earlier designs in 2015–2016 estimated a built skatepark at roughly $500,000 but that a modular pilot approach can start smaller and demonstrate demand. Pellster cited a college-site pilot he worked on at Portland State that later received a $300,000 grant from Prosper Portland as a model for building partnerships, testing concepts and attracting larger funding.
“We kicked off this petition last month, and at the time we have 227 signatures,” Pellster said, adding that modular obstacles or temporary pop-up activations can make underused sites more accessible and allow community stewardship to develop. He and Tyler suggested possible locations including underutilized tennis courts, Reynolds High School’s court area, Sweet Briar and other paved lots. They proposed partnerships with local nonprofits (including Pellster’s Skares Born Skateparks nonprofit), Reynolds High School and city staff to manage pilots.
Committee members praised the example work and suggested short-term pop-up events to build support. Questions from the committee focused on surface suitability (concrete vs. asphalt), parking and transit access, liability and school-district permissions for any school-site pilot. Jacobson said city ownership and jurisdiction matter; school-owned sites such as Reynolds would require district approval. He encouraged proponents to seek grant funding to strengthen any municipal budget request and noted that some grants require municipal match language in a budget.
No formal vote was taken. Committee members asked Pellster and Tyler to work on site identification, community outreach and potential grant strategies, and to bring a more detailed option to the March meeting.
