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.

The design also shows a middle island at which non-skaters can sit and watch. Statzell said it will be easy to walk out to the space.

“You’ll have an elevated spot with 360 viewing,” he said. “The idea is we have a community gathering place there with benches and seats. You don’t have to be a user necessarily to come to the skate park."

Statzell gave an overview of the park’s design and answered questions about it. He got those not just from adults, but children who skateboard and know well the features they want to see. 

Josh Tapp, an Evergreen resident who’s now enrolled at Red Rocks Community College, came back for the meeting. His favorite feature is one he said he had a hand in. 

“Definitely the super-long rails,” he said. “That was my idea.”

Matt Buzas, who founded the coalition and skates with his wife and two sons, could scarcely stop smiling during the event.

California Skatepark designer Jaxon Statzell talks about the skate park while Evergreen Skatepark Coalition founder Matt Buzas listens.

“It’s come a really long way, and the support has been so great,” he said. “The (Friends of Buchanan Park) fundraiser we had just raised the bar. And then we got a private donation from J.R. so it’s fully funded.”

Enthusiasm

EPRD board members praised the skateboarding community for their involvement in the project. The Evergreen Skatepark Coalition held its first meeting in July of 2023 and held numerous fundraisers to help make the park a reality.

EPRD will also start work this summer on remodeling Buchanan park, including a pavilion and accessible playground, trails and other improvements. Work on the natatorium, the most expensive of all the upcoming projects, will also kick off soon. And plans are also in the works for a fieldhouse.

“Of all the improvements we’re doing, this has the most enthusiasm behind it,” board member Peter Eggers said.

The skate park’s funding has come from individuals and organizations, large and small. 

Great Outdoors Colorado awarded EPRD $650,000 toward Buchanan Park. Of that, $200,000 was dedicated specifically to the skatepark. 

The Gates Family Foundation provided a $20,000 grant, Colorado Gives $80,000, and Jeffco Youth Partnership Program a $40,000 grant. 

All specify the skatepark, along with other park features, as part of the awarded project. The coalition also held several events, even selling pancakes and root beer floats to help raise the needed money.

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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