SANDPOINT — Bonner County Skatepark Association is partnering with the city to expand the Concrete Lake Skate Park at Travers Park.

“We’ve quickly outgrown the park in the past 10 years,” said Rory Whitney of the BCSA and owner of 7B Boardshop. “After school, the park is loaded with kids. The proximity to schools is great, we just need a little bit more space.”

The 16th annual King of the Kongrete skateboarding competition hosted by BCSA raised over $3,000 by ways of sponsorship, donations from local business, merchandise and entry to the competition. The association is a new 501(c)3 that aims to promote, enhance, expand and maintain skateboarding terrain in the region.

BCSA has partnered with the city in the past by paying for the sealing of the new kidney bowl at the skatepark. Now they are working with the city to expand the park itself.

The skatepark is the city’s asset and property, said City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton. The city will develop elements of the sports complex mentioned in the Park and Rec Master Plan. The first phase was the recent repairs to the kidney bowl feature.

Since the kidney bowl was severely cracked and was becoming hazardous, Stapleton said the city made repairs and the BCSA paid for the sealing, which was a recommendation but not a requirement for the project. She said it is not uncommon for a fundraising arm to support a park or park amenity from the community.

“A park is a safe space for kids and keeps them off dangerous roads and out of the hair of business, tourists and pedestrians,” said Whitney. “We don't have another spot in town where it's legal for kids to skate around town.”

Skateboarding is a great outlet for kids who don’t traditionally take part in team sports, said Whitney. It is a very physical and demanding sport to express creativity. Sometimes this creativity takes riders to the downtown area to try tricks on city property.

“Skating is incompatible with downtown,” said Stapleton. “Service officers get a lot of complaints.”

Adding new features to the skatepark would encourage skaters to use the park instead of city property, she said. Benches, rails and other city features are not made to be ridden on, but features like this could be available at the skatepark.

She said that the challenge throughout Sandpoint’s parks is not about new amenities but updating failing infrastructure, maintenance, capital improvements and refreshing of the parks. That is where the proposed local option tax comes in, Stapleton added

Lots of parents hang out at the park with their kids, said Whitney. Concrete Lake Skate Park has a great reputation, is clean, graffiti free and is arguably one of the busiest parks in town used by the youth, he said.

Stapleton agreed that the skate park is arguably the most used park real estate in the parks program. For this fiscal year 2022, the city has allocated $95,000 to the skate park expansion.

“LOT funds could push more of the skatepark’s projects into phase one,” said the city administrator. “Then the city could move on to addressing other park projects.”

Whitney said that the proposed LOT would go a long way to fund amenities and repairs at the skatepark. Shade is needed at the Concrete Skate Park to allow for skateboarding in the summer heat. As well as more lighting for evening skating and added safety. Basic maintenance is needed for a working water fountain, said Whitney.

One of Whitney and the BCSA goals for the skate park is for every aspect of skateboarding to be jam packed into one area while still having a lot of terrain and features that are beginner friendly, but provides options for advanced riders.

The city is looking into ways to make the skatepark available to all types of wheel users, and accessible to those in wheelchairs, said Maeve Nevins-Lavtar, parks planning and development manager.

Through community fundraising and partnering with businesses, the BCSA hopes to continually provide a space for skateboarders and anyone that recreates on wheels, said Whitney. He challenged any business to match or beat the donation of $1,500 made from Adam Hall of Advanced Drywall Concepts.

For more info on BCSA visit bcskatepark.com or bcskatepark on Instagram.