An enthusiastic standing-room-only crowd – many of them skateboarders well-versed not just in the activity but in skate park design – showed up Feb. 23 for an open house on Evergreen’s future new skate park.

“This is definitely going to be a big attraction for Evergreen,” said Nick Sizer, a Wheat Ridge resident who works for a Denver-based skate park construction company. “There are so many skate parks in Denver, but anytime there’s a new one, you’re going to drive out of your way. This is only 30 minutes away. And it looks very thorough and thought out.”

The Evergreen Park & Recreation District hosted the community meeting not just to share information about the skate park but to get feedback on some elements that aren’t yet set.

Plans call for breaking ground on the Buchanan Park amenity in late spring or early summer, and an August opening. That’s a timeline EPRD has to adhere to in keeping with grant requirements for the skate park.

Hometown talent

The skate park, now fully funded with a recent donation from Bistro Del Lago and JR’s Landscaping owner JR Iannaccone, is not just supported by local skateboarders: It’s designed by one, too.

Evergreen native Jaxon Statzell is principal designer with California Skateparks, and the brain behind many of the world’s most famous skating structures — including parks at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics and the X Games. But this project ignites his passion more than any other.

Maelle Davis, 7, a Wilmot Elementary student, puts a sticker on a board to denote her preferred feature among several options. Davis, a snowboarder, hopes to cross train at the new park, but said she'd like to see an area of the skate park with fake snow.

“I’ve been working my whole career to do this,” he said. “It’s a dream come true.”

Beyond his personal interest, he said the site for the skate park is ideal, not only as a community draw but for topography that complements the design. The 10,000-square-foot park will be built near the existing ball field.

“It’s a wonderful, beautiful location in the heart of the community where everyone can enjoy it,” he said. “It’s an all-wheel, all-ages facility. 

“The site has a lot of cool elevation, which helps with drainage and creates a lot of terrain for us to put in stair steps, and gives it the cool character it has. So someone showing up for the first time has someplace to start. Some people will be back for the 1,000th time and we want to make sure there's something stimulating for them.”

Long rails

The skate park will have unique features that will make it distinctly Evergreen’s, Statzell said. 

“You can not mistake it for being anywhere else,” he said. “Every rail has a kind of custom motif mountain design.”

Byron Buzas and Josh Tapp look at designs for the Evergreen skate park during the Feb. 23 community meeting at Buchanan Recreation Center.

Skaters show up with support, questions about future park

An enthusiastic standing-room-only crowd – many of them skateboarders well-verse...

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