Wilmington skate park will finally be a reality

After nearly 20 years of back-and-forth, the west side of Wilmington will finally get the skate park the city received grant money for years ago.

The project first began back in 2001, when Kevin Kelley proposed the idea of a skate park while a member of Wilmington City Council.

Mayor Mike Purzycki said $600,000 in funding for the new park had been granted to the City by former State Senator Robert Marshall and former State Rep. Helene Keeley.

“A skate park has been the dream of Kevin Kelley and others for more than 20 years,” said Purzycki in a statement. “It was discussed, debated, planned, shelved and revived a few times in that order in the past two decades and now we’ve finally reached the day when Kevin, as Parks and Recreation director, has the pleasure to join me in making this announcement.”

There are two skate parks in the area currently: 7th Street Skatepoark on the 7th Street Peninsula (also the future site of the Light Action Productions TV and film production facility), operated by the Wilmington Skate Project, and the Newport Skate Park under the Newport 1-95 overpass, operated by Better Life Outreach Ministries.

A Google Earth shot of the future skate park site. (Screenshot)

The new park, to be built on land given to the City by the State Transportation Department at Liberty and Lower Linden Streets near Maryland Avenue, will be a street plaza course design with a bowl. Construction of the concrete facility is expected to begin in September.

“It may have taken longer than any of us expected,” said Keeley, “but soon people of all ages will enjoy a new City recreational facility that will feature a long overdue skate park.”