Long-awaited Maple Leaf Skatepark opens to huge fanfare in St. Joseph
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Riders are wasting no time putting St. Joseph's new state-of-the-art skatepark to the test.
Developers with skatepark specialist Spohn Ranch have all but finished construction of the $450,000 Maple Leaf Skatepark, located at 1942 Mapleleaf Boulevard, with some of the first skateboarders and bike riders already taking to the much-anticipated facility in the last week.
"I was pretty excited. I had fun riding it for the first time," local resident and avid skateboarder Travis Chapman said. "We never really had a park like this."
Growing up, Chapman says he would often make do in various spots across Downtown, now he's relishing the chance to teach his kids on St. Joseph's first true skatepark, a long-awaited upgrade from current and smaller skatepark features located at Bode Sports Complex and Hyde Park.
"It's pretty cool that the kids have something better to ride than we had," he said. "For us all to come to one spot, it's pretty cool .. teaching each other new tricks that we wouldn't have learned by ourself."
From young kids and teenagers to adults, Maple Leaf Skatepark has seen riders of all ages honing their skills and testing out a variety of tricks amid a week of beautiful weather.
22-year-old skateboarder Jonathan Lara hasn't missed a day since the park opened.
"I was pretty hyped," he said. "Seeing how smooth it is and how it flows ... you can really learn some new things."
St. Joseph parks officials told News-Press NOW an official ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at a later date, potentially in May, once some of the last secondary construction items are complete, including replanting grass around the park.
Recent Lafayette High School graduate Garrick Lake had been closely watching the park's construction over the last few months and jumped at the chance when he saw it was open.
"Honestly at first I kind of thought it was just going to be another little, weak track. But it turned out really well ... way better than I expected." Lake said. " ... Now we don't have to go to Kansas City for something nice."
The park was designed and developed over several years with a considerable amount of public engagement with the local skateboarding community.
If Chapman, Lake and the crowds of people already gathering each afternoon are any indication of the community's excitement for the facility, participation isn't likely to slow down anytime soon.
