Rochester, Local Group To Seek Funding For New Skate Park

ROCHESTER, MI — The Rochester City Council unanimously passed a measure Monday night to seek funding for a new skate park, a project that's spearheaded by a local group.

The Greater Rochester Skate Park Leadership Advisory Team, also known as SPLAT, has been trying to get a new skate park built in Rochester since the indoor South Street Skatepark closed in 2013.

The public hearing was necessary in order for the group to apply for a Michigan Department of Natural Resources Spark grant, which looks to help communities (especially those that were the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic) create, renovate and redevelop public parks.

"Today, our youth are experiencing unprecedented mental health issues, spending too much time indoors, on social media, and screen time, all of which are contributing to physical and mental health challenges for them, their families, and our community," SPLAT member Linda Gallaher said in a letter.

The proposed park would be built between two basketball courts and a baseball diamond at Scott Park, which is located at 580 Woodward. The group said it would cost roughly $750,000 to build the park. Construction on the park, if approved by council members, would not start until the group has raised the funds.

SPLAT member and former Rochester Mayor Cathy Daldin led a community group advocating for the skate park at the meeting, and reiterated, "when your city doesn't have a skate park, your city is a skate park."

Parents, business owners and local skateboarders filled the conference room Monday night and showed support for the skate park, with most saying skateboarding brings tremendous value to the community and builds strong character.

"This will do so much for the city," one resident said. "One of the key points is sometimes overlooked is the diversity factor. This will bring people of all walks of life from all over into this area. People even move to where skate parks are."

Another resident who said he's been skateboarding for roughly 15 years said a new skate park would allow a place for skateboarders to come together and learn from one another.

"I think skateboarding really provides people an opportunity to persevere, and to go through discipline and develop some really core characteristics that we need in society today," he said.

A former SPLAT member said the community doesn't have much for kids to come together and the COVID-19 pandemic really hampered opportunities.

"I think this is a very unique community and I think these kids deserve this to not only help them physically but more important mentally, because it does provide a lot of strong commitment as well as the understanding of I can do this," she said.

More than 1,400 people have signed the group's online petition to bring a skate park to the Rochester community. You can sign the petition by clicking here.