BRATTLEBORO — The Crowell Lot, situated at the intersection of High and Union streets, now contains a basketball court, park benches, swing sets and plenty of shade trees.
It might soon also be home to Brattleboro's first outdoor skate park.
On May 17, the Selectboard approved the lease of the property, which is owned by the Brattleboro School District, to the town. The Crowell Lot won the town's support after a planned skate park near the West River along Route 30 was shot down due to environmental concerns.
A recently formed committee, Brattleboro Skatepark Is Coming (BASIC), has been the main advocate of the proposed Crowell Lot park. The group of 12 includes interested community members, skaters and parents of skaters. Their goal is to raise the estimated $250,000 to build the facility.
On June 21, BASIC celebrated Brattleboro's first-ever “Go Skateboarding Day” at the Crowell Lot. It was as much an opportunity for local skaters to show off their skills as it was a chance for BASIC members to outline their vision to the community.
Barry Lane, one of the founders of the committee, has lived in Brattleboro for 20 years. He's seen the acceptance of skateboarding fluctuate, from “an historic low point” in the 1980s, to its high point in the early part of the 2000s, which brought Tony Hawk, the X-Games and a general acceptance of skateboarding as part of the mainstream culture.
Even during the lean years, Lane said that “there has always been diehards.”
Lane had been advocating for a skate park for 10 years. Once he started skateboarding himself eight years ago, “it became a need.”
BASIC meets regularly to work “towards a common vision,” said David Longsmith, another member of the group. He envisions an “all-inclusive park.”
Lane also hopes the park can have “a variety of elements, with beginners and experts, bicycles, scooters” and will be “a place to congregate and practice.”
Lane is confident of community support. “Over the years, businesses have pledged in principle,” he said. “People are lining up and donations are coming in.”
BASIC is responsible for raising the funds for the skate park, not the town, said Spencer Crispe, another member of BASIC and a devoted skater.
“I've been skateboarding my entire life,” said Crispe.
Crispe said the group is also putting together a packet of grant applications to organizations like the Tony Hawk Foundation, whose mission is to fund the construction of skate parks in low-income communities. He said it would be great if the skate park could be built this summer, but realistically, it will likely happen next summer.
Brattleboro's Town Manager Barbara Sondag detailed the steps still needed before the completion of the park.
BASIC will appoint new members to its current group to form a skateboard committee. “Its two main functions will be raising funding and helping with the design of the park,” Sondag said.
The next step, according to town Recreation and Parks Director Carol Lolatte, is “funding, through grants and events.”
Next, the design will be presented to Brattleboro's Development and Review Board.
“They need a site plan review,” said Sondag. “Once they have a design, it will help with fundraising.”
After the park is built, Sondag said that the town will own it and will be responsible for maintenance, repairs and liabilities.
“The recreation department will be responsible for day-to-day cleanup,” said Lolatte, adding that she hopes the final product will be “something that will be easy to maintain and contains a plaza-style design.”
“The town is overseeing it,” added Lolatte, “but we want to build something that people will use. It's important to have community involvement.”
She admitted, however, that “honestly, this not the most ideal spot, but it's the best for what the options are.”
Lane said initial designs have been drafted, “but they are just rough ideas to attract a professional designer.”
All of the currently drafted designs will leave the basketball court, but remove the swings and play structures currently there. Other designs would include structures for both beginners and experts.
Longsmith is confident a final design will get approved: “The design of the park will be in step with the town organizations, so that there will be no surprises.”
And BASIC's members have high hopes for the skate park.
Crispe believes the skate park will be a place that can serve as a “home” for skateboarders. “It is important to remember that it won't just serve one gender or age group,” he added.
Longsmith believes the group has a “scope beyond the skate park, or the group here. We want more spots to skate, more culture to spread.”