Ojibway Skate Park makeover begins

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Avid skateboarders will soon have a new and polished skate park in Woodbury.

Construction started at Ojibway Skate Park Thursday, July 26, where contractors will install a colored concrete skating surface slated for completion at the end of August.

Woodbury City Council approved the $137,251 project as part of the consent agenda last Wednesday.

“Current skate park features have reached their lifetime,” Recreation Specialist Reed Smidt said in March when the design planning started, adding that many of the materials are in need of replacement.

The city has partnered with Action Sports Design, a company that has designed numerous skate parks around the country from St. Cloud and Bemidji, Minn., to Denver, Colo. and Staten Island, N.Y.

“Obviously this isn’t going to be the biggest,” said Kanten Russell, of ASD. “But I think we have the ability to put some cool things there.”

The biggest change will be replacing wooden ramps with concrete to make them safer and more enjoyable.

The project also includes coloration of the park to improve aesthetics, highlight park features and elevation changes.

The city held a planning session in March where local skaters gave staff and designers input on what they’d like to see at the park.

Skateboarders asked for a more permanent structure that they can utilize instead of leaving Woodbury to enjoy the activity.

Tags: area news, news, woodbury