CINCINNATI — Off Stock Avenue in Camp Washington, Cincinnati's first public skatepark has finally broken ground.
It's a project some residents spent years asking for. Evan Walker, founder of the Cincinnati Skatepark Project, said it's long overdue.
“Skateboarding is an international sport," Walker said. "It was in the Olympics the last two Olympics, yet we didn’t have a place for people to learn and come together and meet up and skate.”
Randy Brown, a member of the organization, said the group originally started to give skaters a place to go.
“It’s always been weird, frankly, that Cincinnati, with a vibrant skate scene, has not had a skatepark until now," Brown said.
WATCH: City leaders unveil design plans for Cincinnati's first public skatepark
The skatepark won't be exclusive to skateboarders, either. People who rollerblade or bike can also use the park.
The project is funded by donations as well as city and federal grants. The Cincinnati Recreation Commission also helped with the project.
Its designs are pretty typical, with some nods to the city, such as a ramp featuring a coney dog in the middle.
Walker said the skatepark will give kids a safe place to go.
“In a lot of places, we lack something for teenagers and young adults to do," Walker said.
City Councilman Mark Jeffreys said it will provide a place for kids to be productive and active.
“They’re going downtown and Over-the-Rhine because it’s cool and there are things to do, which is great, but that has also caused a lot of disturbance," Jeffreys said. "So what we want to do is create anchors for them and exciting places such as this.”
The skatepark will sit next to the Camp Washington Recreation Center and pool.
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Jeffreys said he believes it will become a destination spot for families to hang out.
“I think it shows what happens when residents advocate for something," Jeffreys said.
Construction of the project won't take long, and the goal is for it to open this fall.
While it's the first public location, Walker and his team say they're already planning more.
“In the same way we don’t tell people ‘Hey, you want to go swim, you want to play basketball, here’s the one place to go in the city’, that’s how we think skating should work as well," Brown said.
