Carpinteria Skatepark rolls on with construction plans in the works

CARPINTERIA, Calif. - With a strong old fashioned community-wide message, and months of outreach, the funds have been coming in to turn the Carpinteria Skatepark plan in to a project that should be done this year.

The City of Carpinteria has put the skatepark out for bid and proposals will be taken until January 27.

The estimated cost is about $1.1 million but it could go slightly higher, possibly to $1.4 million.

Once the bid is approved, and that is expected February 14, the project construction plan is for 180 days of work.

The site is on 5775 Carpinteria Avenue. This is east of City Hall, and the Sheriff's substation.

The goal is to have it ready this summer.

The Carpinteria Skate Foundation has been financially driving the project's funding in partnership with the city. It has raised the necessary budget to go forward and donations continue to come in. This is a municipal project with privately raised funds.

The Lions Club December Festival of Trees became the latest boost. There was an infusion of money to the project from the event which raised $47,000. The Lions dedicated all of the funds to this project.

Organizers say they have been working on the plan for a skatepark for ten years.

"It is a 30,000 square foot  project and 20,000 will be skateable terrain.   It's at least twice as big as Santa Barbara's  skatepark but the rest of the space will be used as a park there will be picnic benches," said Julia Mayer with the Carpinteria Skate Foundation. "One of the best ideas that we had is that we built a stage into the design, so this is a place that we really hope to see young people and their bands."

Some of the features to the park have naming opportunities for specific donations listed on the skatepark web site.

The location also has room for new community restrooms, and a location, for example, where food trucks could park.

To the east is currently the Tee Time golf business. It also has access to the Carpinteria bluffs.

Nearby, the former Venoco land, now in a clearing and restoration effort by Chevron, has involved trimming and clearing many trees in the area of the project's foot print. That has been done by Chevron at the company's cost.

The community support has been grassroots all the way. "Everybody wants to be part  of something and they want to be part of a change that is so valuable to our community," said Mayer. "The more they see moms on skateboards, young girls on skateboards,  dads on skateboards, young kids, the more they say I can do that too. That's what I really hope for."

The appreciation for the community backing is very enthusiastic. "Thank you so much for rallying behind us," she openly says to all of those who helped. She is asking the public to thank every city leader, business owner and resident who contributed anything to the project.

The skatepark finds itself in a complimentary spot not far from the Carpinteria waterfront, nearby is the famous Rincon surfing point, and soon a completed bike route will be connected from the city to the Rincon parkway to Ventura.

For more information go to: Carpinteria Skatepark