Ferndale Moves Forward with Skate Park, But May Change Location
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Aug. 14, 2018)
Ferndale, MI- Ferndale City Council voted Monday to accept a $250,000 grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation and to fund a matching investment for the creation of a skate park.
When the news was announced Aug. 2, social media was a buzz with excitement. However, some residents in the Wilson Park area were less thrilled with the location which includes the community dog park, space for soccer, and a playground. It’s also adjacent to a new crop of houses being built by Robertson Homes.
Some residents spoke in favor of the location and some against it, with council ultimately inquiring if the grant could be accepted, but with the option of changing locations. City staff is next going to be reviewing options for the location to be presented to Council at a later date.
Ferndale was one of six communities chosen to receive $250,000 grants—Detroit, Ypsilanti, and Port Huron, Michigan, as well as Rochester and Amherst, New York.
“There is an ongoing need to create spaces where kids can get outside and be physically active on their own terms,” said Jim Boyle, Vice President of Programs and Communications for the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation which administers the grant. “When you combine that with the growing popularity of skateboarding and the convening expertise of the Tony Hawk Foundation, we see a tremendous opportunity to use these investments to create healthy and engaged communities.”