Skatepark Renovation & Expansion Project

Buy a Brick and Support the Skatepark!

Beckwith Brick has generously donated time and materials to build a brick patio in the public art/hangout space in the center of the Skatepark.  You can support the skatepark by buying a 6"x6" or 6"x9" brick to be placed in this space.  Recognize your business, family, favorite quote, or remember a loved one at the Big Mine Skatepark!  Please complete the Big Mine Skatepark Brick Form below.  

History: The Big Mine Skatepark was originally built in 1997 and after 25 years of much love and use, the park is literally crumbling and requires significant annual repairs to keep it usable. Substantial drainage problems cause water to pool in the bowls and it is not uncommon for participants in our skate program to be seen with buckets and a sump pump dredging out the park before a program session. The Town’s insurance provider has been citing the park for necessary repairs for over 10 years. Band-aid after band-aid has been applied throughout the years and the patchwork is no longer sufficient to hold the concrete together.  Snow slides from the roof of the adjacent Big Mine Ice Arena into the park causing damage to the concrete and drains. If the existing park is not resurfaced, it will no longer be usable. 

Project Scope & Need: A much needed 9500 sq. ft. renovation and a 6100 sq. ft. expansion is being planned for a total park area of 15,600 sq. ft.  The design will prioritize storm water management and site drainage while new technology in skatepark building will allow for a more durable park that will not require annual concrete repairs. Enrollment at the Crested Butte Community School has increased 162% since the skatepark was originally built (302 students in 1997 vs. 791 students in 2022).  Summer and fall youth skate programs “Skate Camp” have full rosters and waitlists.  The skate program is one of our most popular programs with over 180 five to fourteen-year-olds participating in beginner to advanced programs.  One skate instructor was quoted in the CB News saying, “It’s awesome! That thing has been giving back to me my whole life and it’s awesome to see that many kids using it and stoked.  It’s such an amenity for all kids.”

Our youth skateboard programs fill within minutes of opening registration and there is simply not enough physical space at the park to allow for additional program participation.  User conflicts arise between skateboarders and scooter riders due to insufficient space for various user groups. This project will achieve the goals of renovating the existing bowl and adding much needed features for enhanced instructional and recreational enjoyment. 

The skatepark is an amenity beloved by a wide demographic of our community.  Pre-school aged children through middle-aged adults can be seen on skateboards, scooters, bikes, and roller skates on any given day throughout the warm months. Middle schoolers are particularly drawn to the culture, freedom, and challenge that the skatepark offers. The average demographic of skateboarder in the US is a 14-year-old white male, and 79% of people who die by suicide are male.  Suicide is the 2^nd leading cause of death among those aged 15-24 in the US.  Gunnison Co. has nearly double the rate of suicide deaths compared to Colorado’s average (39.5 deaths per 100,000 people vs. the state average of 20.2).  Mental Madness will provide on-site information, resources, and healthy outlets for skateboarders to “shred the stigma” and seek help.  Through a public process facilitated by the Town’s Public Art Commission, a public art component focused on mental health will be incorporated into this project.  Initial concepts include a mural and revolving graffiti wall that will bring awareness, facilitate healthy conversations, and provide resources around mental health issues.

The Town is committed to revitalizing this important public amenity to better serve young people in our community while addressing a department goal to provide more programming for middle-school aged children. This project will:

• Enhance community vitality and quality of life through the creation of a positive skate culture that melds mental health awareness with an enhanced user experience.
• Enhance the existing park with much-needed new park space for increased capacity and more equitable access for a wider range of user ability levels. Project components include: the resurfacing of Crank’s Tank; a new street course area with rails, quarter and half pipes, banks, and other features, a flow course for better circulation around the park, and a central hang-out zone with trees, benches, and public art. Snow fences on the roof of the ice arena will also be installed to prevent slides into the bowl (funded separately from this project)
• Provide easy access to recreation in town for a wide range of income levels and ages.  The park is free and open to the public, just a half a block from a public bus stop and 3 blocks from the school, and provides inexpensive access to recreation.
• Reduce user conflicts at the park that are primarily caused by a lack of space.
• Address critical infrastructure and site drainage issues at the current park.
• Foster youth connections by creating a sense of place, belonging, and ownership within park users.

Funding: The Town has generously received $50,000 in grant funding from the Met Rec.  The Gunnison Valley Skateboard Alliance, a local non-profit that supports new construction and renovation of skateparks throughout the valley, is currently fundraising for this important community project and has a fundraising goal of $70,000.  The Town has contributed $110,000 from the lottery funded Conservation Trust Fund and will fund $450,000 from the Capital Fund.  Please direct questions, comments, and donation inquires to Janna Hansen jhansen@crestedbutte-co.gov 970-349-5338 x110.