Plans for bigger more innovative town skatepark

The City of Mountain Home held a Public Hearing to allow the community to have input on a proposed Skatepark at Richard Aguirre Park that would replace the current one in the amount of $250,000.

Funds for the project have been being collected since 2010 through competitions, concerts and other fundraisers in the amount of $5,000 which went towards purchasing the preliminary design.

In 2013 representatives of Hardcore Skate flew a representative in to have a work meeting with youth from the community and Phil Garcia who owned the town’s skate store at the time. During the hearing Garcia said he had promoted competitions and eventually opened his store in the community to help him connect with the community’s youth. It was also a way to keep them out of trouble or getting hurt skating on businesses properties. The project has already received a Tony Hawk Foundation grant in the amount of $5,000 and the city has committed $200,000 and grant funds will continue to be requested for the remaining balance estimated at $419,000. It was emphasized that it is still a tentative budget until designs can be solidified.For the full story, pick up a copy of the Mountain Home News or click on this link to subscribe to the newspaper's online edition.