The movement to build a new skate park in Franklin is picking up a lot of speed, as well as a lot of supporters.
Macon County skaters have been hard at work for the last few months, talking with local government leaders and officials with JE Dunn Construction about building a new venue for the sport in town. Franklin’s Town Council unanimously agreed during their last board meeting to move forward with planning and design for a location in Memorial Park (Jacyee Park). Last Tuesday, the skaters continued their campaign by addressing the Macon County Board of Commissioners in search of financial support to help meet their fundraising goals before the end of winter.
“Over the past month, we have started donations… the Dunn Construction people who are building the hospital said that they’d give up their time, money and effort to build a skate park if we got the plans for them, but they are leaving before February, so we’re trying to get as much done as we can before then,” local skater Evan Lampkin said.
Franklin already has one skate park on Main Street that belongs to First United Methodist Church. However, it is not open daily and the facilities are very basic. Skaters say they’d like to see a bigger park with more options for different styles and skill levels. The Jaycee Park location, which will likely be somewhere between 6,000 and 7,000 square feet, could make a major difference is the sport’s accessibility.
“I think it’s very important to keep the park beginner friendly while also keeping it interesting for more experienced skaters,” said local skater Traveler Shaw. “It’s also very important that the park flows nicely between different sections so skaters won’t be getting in each other’s way.”
Skating has been growing in popularity and in acceptance as a real sport in recent years, with skateboarding debuting as an Olympic event this year in Tokyo, but Franklin’s enthusiasts are mostly relegated to sidewalks in parks and the downtown area. Skating parent Tim Shaw sees the creation of a new skate park as an essential safety measure for kids like his because it would give them a centralized location free of traffic to enjoy their hobby. He also thinks that the way the stars have aligned with the kids’ hard work and the cooperation of local officials is too good not to invest in.
“How often do you have a multi-million-dollar corporate contractor come in and say, ‘We want to build your community a skate park’?” Shaw said. “We have to grasp that opportunity.”
The commissioners didn’t take any action on the project at their meeting because it was just brought up for the first time in public comment, but Chairman Jim Tate said he’d support giving Franklin a similar asset to the well-received skate park that’s already been built in Highlands.
“I would definitely be in support of the county helping with the creation of a skate park,” Tate said. “After seeing the success of the skate park in Highlands, I truly believe that a skate park in Franklin would be a great asset.”
There’s also evidence that Macon County residents are enthusiastic about the idea. On Friday morning, The Franklin Press’ online poll showed 93% of 141 voters in favor of the county and the town collaborating on a skate park. Commenters on social media have been overwhelmingly positive about the prospect of a skate park as a long-awaited venue for kids to gather and do something productive.
“With Franklin being a small town, this will give boys and girls an opportunity to get out some of that awesome energy they have stored up,” said Shelley Parker Fillion, a supporter of the park. “They may wear crazy clothes and listen to some wild music, but I consider them athletes.”
The Board of Commissioners will hold their next regular meeting on Tuesday, August 10 at 6 p.m. in the boardroom at the Macon County Courthouse.