Plans for Newburgh Skatepark Revealed

Newburgh Skatepark

On May 26, 2014 the community was presented these plans for a skatepark in Newburgh at Delano-Hitch Park designed by Gridline Skateparks. People were pretty excited on social media when we first shared the plans to bring skatepark to Newburgh. What do you think about the design?

10 Comment

  • ‘Looks great. I’m an advocate of this endeavor as it has the potential to be a big draw to Newburgh IF marketed and managed correctly. The culture surrounding ‘extreme’ sports tends to have an inherent open-mindedness that can go a long way in mending the black eye that colors this City. Move the mindset and the physical will follow.
    That said, consider tweaking the design in order to present a mixed use park that will broaden the user base and provide year round use of the park. Perhaps a slightly larger center green that could be frozen over in winter to provide outdoor skating or to facilitate a staging area for musicians. While they’re pouring concrete, a few handball/squash courts would be great. Outdoor shuffleboard ? Anyway, check out the links…

    http://www.eastbayri.com/news/barrington-teenager-wants-to-bring-bike-park-to-legion-way/
    http://inhabitat.com/nyc/brooklyn-bridge-parks-pier-2-to-open-this-spring-with-roller-rink-shuffleboard-and-bocce-courts/
    or take it up a few notches, crazy…
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB3BpB3dpeA

  • I am NOT against a skate park in City of Newburgh. However, I am against promoting sports to kids which may be very dangerous for their health. Kids cannot determine the risks that they are taking properly. I am wondering who is going to be paying for the injuries and the lawsuits for negligence when a skateboarder breaks their neck and has a lifetime of pain and disability. I hope that there will be a sign that informs that these activities can be completely life changing–to the extent that IF you were a young kid who had a promising future, being physically injured would just be one more painful hurdle for you to face in life.

    I would prefer to see resources being used to develop skills such as swimming that are POSITIVE in the life of underprivileged kids. Why not prioritize having a large sufficient swimming pool for the public where children can learn swimming as a survival skill. I don’t see that–is there one? I mean a big beautiful Olympic size pools facility where kids can swim competitively. Skate boarding–I have nothing against. It is just that as a middle class parent I fear it–it is a horrible risky thing for poor kids to be using–and for WHAT result?

    • So the skateboard park you are “NOT against” is to be used by who? The kids have been ‘boarding’ in the streets and vacant lots and requested a safer alternative by their own initiative. As a former skateboarding kid with a “middle class” paralyzed parent I was fully aware of the risks and consequences of my actions. For me it was an alternative to banging heads on a field, no risk there. There are insurance policies and legalize for this endeavor. “Swimming as a survival skill”… because the tsunami threat is eminent ? This project isn’t targeting “poor” and “underprivileged kids”. The “result” may just be that ALL kids will find a common ground who, as a collective, will appreciate and respect the individual. They will “compete”, in a self directed, unadulterated manner.
      Is that the “risk” you’re “NOT against” ?

    • My name is Bobby Turner. I was part of the group that got together to make this work. All of us have been skateboarding for at least 5-8 years. We ALL understand the risks that come along with skateboarding, but we do it not look at it as an “Extreme Sport” (which it obviously is), but rather it is our passion, and love for the sport that makes us continue and try bigger things. As skaters we’re constantly striving to get better at the thing we love doing. We all accept the risks, which is why we’d rather have a place to do it with out getting kicked out due to “the fear of lawsuits”. My mindset when I skate is, I’m putting myself in to this situation, so there’s no one to blame other than myself when I mess up and get injured. I know this isn’t the mindset for everyone. But for people who are true to the sport, we aren’t looking for an easy lawsuit. We are looking to grow and expand in our passion. And getting kicked out from every spot we skate there’s no way for us to do that. Now that they are going to be building it I feel like I now have basically a second home. Also, there’s actually a pool right down the street. And what kind of a “kid” as you speak needs a “Big Beautiful Olympic sized pool.” The pool right down the street has a 6 ft. Deep end which goes straight to a 3 1/2 ft end, which is very capable to use as practice for swimming. I don’t think any kids need Olympic sized pools to learn how to swim in. That just kind of seems unnessecary.

  • Let the Kickstarter funding begin!

  • Just do it already! It’s been 2 years in the making.

  • I love the idea of a skate park even though I’ve never used one. I was the kid who used to use a skateboard as transportation in Brooklyn (1985-1989ish). It’s awesome.
    I agree with Walt that it could stand to be a bit more inclusive of other activities. Ice skating, handball courts, and little tots area would be fantastic.

  • Any change for the good is good, soccer field and now skate park. Would this benefit kids from our City? Or will be just like the soccer field on Washington St ? I usually see adults playing but not kids at that field. I see more and more kids on the streets. Hopefully the Skate Park and the Soccer Field will keep them out of the streets full of drugs.