Donation drop-in: Future skate park gets financial boost

Aug. 19—Even before it opens later this year, Cullman's new skatepark is already getting some serious air. Thanks to a trio of private donors, the professionally-designed skating and BMX playground has gotten a $120,000 infusion of new funds to ensure that smooth concrete and perfectly-placed drop-ins won't be the only amenities.

Cullman Parks, Recreation and Sports Tourism announced the locally-contributed funds this week at an event held just outside the park's northern boundary, amid a busy backdrop of contractors and churning construction machinery. Parks director Nathan Anderson said the goal is to complete the pool, ramps, rails, and other skate-able features within the next three weeks, leaving another three weeks or so to build out the remaining peripheral amenities — things such as landscaping, seating, shaded areas, and restrooms.

Landscaping and restrooms are exactly what the donated money will fund. The combined $120,000, said Anderson, was raised after a local family approached the city with an offer to contribute $50,000 toward the park — if, that is, another local party would skate up to the coping and drop in with a matching amount.

"The city had already budgeted for the park, but we knew we would need amenities: bathrooms, benches, shade, and landscaping to go along with the project," said Anderson. "We were very fortunate to have a private local donor, the Whitesell family, step up with a $50,000 donation. But it was contingent on a match. Just as we've seen many times before with other big projects, the community comes together, and we're really excited that we were able to find that match and more."

In addition to the Whitesells' $50,000 donation, the Cullman Rotary club presented the department a check for $40,000, while the Foundation Board for Cullman Parks, Recreation and Sports Tourism donated another $30,000 in proceeds raised from this year's Dinner on First fundraiser. Foundation member Ben Harrison said the skatepark rounds out Cullman's recreational features in a unique way that not many cities of similar size can offer.

"It was something we looked at as the community grows: 'What do we have to offer for younger people, and even the older people who want to continue to have fun with their bikes and boards?' ...There aren't a lot of places you can go to do this, and not be on someone's private property, or look like you're destroying someone's property.

"So this is a great opportunity for younger kids to have that safe place to go and enjoy their sport, and with the popularity of the X Games, it gives them a chance to hone those same skills that they see on TV. Who knows? Maybe we'll have a kid from Cullman who one day makes it to the next level."

The skatepark sits on land immediately adjacent to the Cullman Police Department's headquarters, separated from Depot Park to the south by a large, city-owned lot that currently sits empty (aside from its in-house use as a staging area for construction equipment). Anderson said the parks department eventually will develop that property as an open-area events venue, in the process linking the entire swath of city-operated parks property all the way from the Festhalle along First Avenue to the police headquarters across from Oak Drive.

"It will all be 'Depot Park' — all of it," Anderson explained. "It will be one continuous park area, all the way to this wooded area right here by the police station. The idea is to bring Depot Park all the way through and to connect its areas where people can be using it for different activities at the same time."

Cullman mayor Woody Jacobs said skaters and bikers who've supported the project are completely cool with the park's law enforcement-adjacent location.

"One of the things that we thought was unique was to locate it here, close to the schools; close to the police station. and the skaters have embraced that idea.

"Really, they're just thrilled to have somewhere to skate," he added. "Because unfortunately, when they're skating around town, the police sometimes have had to go and say, 'Hey guys, y'all can't skate here.' But we've never had any way to also tell them, 'But you can go and skate over here.' Very soon, we're going to be able to do that."

Benjamin Bullard can be reached by phone at 256-734-2131 ext. 234.