Phase one addition to the Warwick skate park is proposed

Warwick — Skateboarding, roller blading, biking — all sports that are growing in leaps and bounds with kids. Warwick built its skate park, the Robert Newhard Sr. Skate Park, at Veterans’ Memorial Park to give kids a safe, fun place to ride. Now, it is time to add to it. Joe Raia, owner of Garage Boardshop and Apparel in Warwick, and Thomas “TJ” Schick, a second-year architect student, came to the board Monday night with a plan to add a five-foot-high curved ramp to the park. It was designed and drawn by Schick, who Raia called “an incredible skateboarder.” The plan calls for the ramp to span the northwestern corner of the park. The structure is designed in reinforced concrete, which is the preferred surface for skate parks, as well as curving and permanent structures, according to Schick, who also runs the skateboard lesson program through the village’s summer rec program. This has been part of the summer program for two years now. Structurally it will be constructed of cinder blocks, corrugated steel and Rebar framework. Bullnose brick and smooth painted concrete will finish the ramp. ”The coping is comprised of bull-nosed bricks for ease of construction and maintenance, and as a nod toward the pool-oriented history of skate parks,” said Schick in his summary to the board. The Village Board appropriated $10,000 for skate park improvements this year. “The skate park, as it is right now, is good,” said Trustee Eileen Patterson, who is the board’s liaison for parks and recreation. “It offers a variety of stunts and plenty of space to practice. I’m glad the proposed piece will have streetscape elements. We continue to have a need for street skaters looking for a place to practice jumping curbs, railings and steps. We don’t have the funding for (an in-ground swimming pool made of concrete), but if we can create an ‘above-ground’ concrete skate park over time, we can remove the wooden structures as they begin to need resurfacing. The concrete park will require significantly less maintenance.” Raia said the kids who use the park would be involved in the construction, which would take about four weeks to complete from start to finish. Patterson, Raia and Schick will now take the plan to the village’s engineer for approval and then get three cost estimates. Patterson is hopeful that part will be completed by the board’s next meeting on Aug. 18 so that the project will get started and be done before winter. “The goal of this construction is to create a park that can be efficient as a whole, enjoyable and attractive to users of all skill levels, visually interesting, and capable of expansion,” said Schick. “The current design is the culmination of all of these important factors.”