YPSILANTI, MI. February 11, 2019 - On Monday, January 14, the Ypsilanti Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve Community Center Park as the location of a new public skatepark for the area. Previously, in December, the Ypsilanti Township Parks Commission voted unanimously to send the location recommendation to the Board of Trustees.
Ypsilanti Township Supervisor Brenda Stumbo says, "Recreation is important, collaboration is as well. Without the skatepark advocates and leadership of the County and the Tony Hawk Foundation, the proposed skate park wouldn't be possible.”
The Ypsilanti Skatepark effort has been underway since early 2018, and was sparked by the Built to Play Skatepark Grant initiative. Built to Play offers matching grants up to $250,000 for public skateparks in SE Michigan and Western New York. The grants are available through a partnership between the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and the Tony Hawk Foundation. The Washtenaw County Parks Commission has committed to providing the funds needed for the Built to Play Skatepark Grant Match.
Meghan Bonfiglio, Deputy Director of the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission says, “The Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission is excited to partner with Ypsilanti Township, the Tony Hawk Foundation and the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation on this project. The skatepark will be a wonderful addition to Ypsilanti Township’s Community Center Park - providing a recreational amenity that is perfect for kids of all ages.”
Ricky Jefferson, Washtenaw County Commissioner and Parks Commissioner adds, “This is great news and great work for the residents of eastern Washtenaw County. I believe a state of the art skateboard park will draw out of town visitors. I celebrate the voices of the skateboard community in the area for their advocacy to have the Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation Commission make this a priority.”
“The skatepark location serves local neighborhoods, is close to amenities, and is visible to passers-by. It’s the perfect location for a skatepark!”, says Cory Spivey, skateboarder, local resident, and Team Leader for the community group Ypsilanti Skatepark. The group has been working on the skatepark effort since early 2018.
Contact:
Meghan Bonfiglio
Deputy Director, Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission
[email protected]
734-971-6337
Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission
The Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission, founded in 1973, currently manages 14 parks and 33 nature preserves totaling more than 6,000 acres. Washtenaw County Parks provides recreational and nature-based programming. Besides trails within most facilities, WCPARC major trail initiative, the Border-to-Border (B2B) trail, connects Wayne, Washtenaw and Livingston counties via a 70+ mile trail system. Visit us at www.washtenaw.org/parks or call 734-971-6337.