WEST BEND, Wis. — A brand new skateboard park is coming to West Bend after the city officially donated land in Regner Park to the nonprofit raising money for the new facility.
The Friends of the West Bend Skatepark has spent two years pushing for a new park to replace the current facility, which is more than 20 years old and showing its age.
"The current skatepark is well over 20 years old. It's hard to skate it these days, so it's about time we phase out into something new that's going to be great for 50 plus years," said Isaac Sharpe, president of Friends of the West Bend Skatepark.
The new 26,000-square-foot park will be completely community-funded, meaning no tax dollars will be used for the project.
"This was the best destination the city was willing to give us, and it's 26,000 sq feet. So, how can we say no to that?" Sharpe said.
Local skateboarder Jeff Skomski, who grew up skating in West Bend, is excited about the upgrade from the current park, which he describes as loud, rusty, and out-of-date.
"The new park sounds like it's going to be a Cadillac compared to this. I'm super excited," Skomski said.
Watch: Local skaters excited about new concrete park coming to West Bend
The concrete construction will be a major improvement over the existing facility.
"The fact that it's a concrete park, oh my goodness, it's going to be so nice. It'll hold up for a very long time," Skomski said.
The new park will also eliminate the need for local skaters to travel outside Washington County, as the closest park is currently a 30-minute drive away.
"I won't have to drive to Milwaukee; I can come right to my hometown," Skomski said. "I feel like it's going to really put us on the map."
Sharpe said the skateboarding community is tight-knit but welcoming to newcomers, including his own daughter, who participates in the sport.
"The skateboarding community is amazing, quiet, and stays in its own shell unless you get involved with it and see it for yourself," Sharpe said.
A firm is currently working on mapping out a new rendering, with plans to have a final design completed by April. Sharpe hopes to break ground as soon as they secure funding for the first phase of the total $1 million needed for the project.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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