Anissa Holland
thefranklinpressnews@gmail.com
On Tuesday, Nov. 1, an informal public discussion about the future of skateboarding in Franklin was held at Town Hall.
Town Manager Amie Owens called the meeting with members of Sk828 to talk about “keeping the momentum going” for the skatepark project, which is slated for a portion of the Whitmire property. She also briefed attendees on the proposed licensing agreement with First United Methodist Church over the use of The Walk, the skatepark owned by the church.
The licensing agreement with the church was on the agenda for the Nov. 7 Town Council meeting; however, it was tabled until December. Town Attorney John Henning Jr. said they needed to do some more work concerning the insurance and liability. Once the agreement is finalized, the town will temporarily assume operations of The Walk skatepark property through Dec. 31, 2024. The goal of the agreement is to provide a publicly designated area to skate within town limits while the skatepark at the Whitmire property is under construction, which is scheduled for the summer of 2023. Once construction is complete, the town would relinquish The Walk back to the church.
“In the interim, we wanted to show the skate community how serious we are about this project,” said Owens. “We’re committed to giving you a place where you want to skate.”
When the church’s skatepark is turned over to the town, it will begin operating as a public, unsupervised skatepark from daylight until dark. The town would be responsible for maintenance, including trash pickup and surface monitoring. However, no updates will be made to the property as it stands, since the construction for the new park is set to begin next year.
Related to the agreement and the future skatepark, the Town Council will also consider an amendment to the town’s ordinances since there is no reference to skateboarding in the original ordinances. Owens said Chapter 72, which referenced bicycles, will now encompass bicycles, in-line skates, skateboards and similar recreational vehicles.
The ordinance update also was included in the consent agenda for the Nov. 7 meeting but was pulled and will be placed on the December agenda for further discussion.
“I wanted everyone to be aware of these changes beforehand and didn’t want anyone to think we were doing anything to prevent skaters from being downtown,” said Owens.
Owens also provided updates on the Whitmire property project. In the 14 months since fundraising for the new skatepark began, $150,000 has been donated or pledged for construction costs. JE Dunn Construction Group recently donated $25,000 toward the project, and the county has pledged $35,000. Sk828 has been instrumental in raising private funds for the project by hosting fundraisers and setting up booths at community events. The estimated construction cost is $260,000, so about another $110,000 is needed for the project. Owens remained optimistic, stating it takes time to get things off the ground.
“I know it sometimes feels like it’s slowing down, but when looking at it collectively, it’s been over 20 years since building a skatepark was first mentioned. In 14 months, we’re over halfway funded, we have a plan, a design and we’re committed to moving forward.”
Artisan Skateparks and Pillar Design Studios have partnered to complete the project. The town wanted to utilize a company that specialized in concrete skatepark construction due to the unique structures and components of skateparks. Artisan has built parks in Waynesville and Cherokee, and several other parks across North Carolina, the United States and three international parks.
The remainder of the Whitmire parcel is being considered for additional recreational opportunities, like pickleball courts, an all-inclusive playground, pavilion, restrooms, and other projects. The outlying areas of the property are being considered for housing and retail. A request for proposal (RFP) closed on Nov. 4. The proposals will be reviewed with a recommendation to be brought to the Town Council at the Dec. 5 meeting.
“Our goal is to create areas that serve everyone,” said Owens. “It takes a village – or a town, as the case may be – to move forward.”