Popular Carver skate park removed -- at least for now

CARVER, Minn. (FOX 9) - City workers in Carver, Minn. removed equipment Wednesday from a beloved skate park but said they’d like to build an even better skate park in the future.

City officials said the skate park equipment at Community Park was more than 20 years old. Parks maintenance staff members noticed the support structures were failing and the wood was rotting, so they notified City Manager Brent Mareck. The manufacturer from which the city purchased the equipment from initially is no longer in business.

When the city announced on social media earlier this week that the equipment would be removed, there was an overwhelming response from families that they want their kids to be able to skate at the park again.

Mareck said while Community Park won’t have skate ramps this season, the city has every intention of trying to replace them during the 2025 budget.

"Skate park technology has probably evolved quite a bit in the last 20 years. This was kind of a modular design, and so look at layout, look at types of equipment, look at amenities for different skill levels and really build something that will serve hopefully for the next 20 years," he said.

The city’s Park Advisory Group, which meets on a quarterly basis, will develop new concepts and ideas for the site. Mareck said he would also like to get input from young children who would use the skate park.

In the meantime, he encourages families to continue to provide feedback to the city and to use the skate park at Ironwood Park about a mile away.

"It's not meant to be a replacement. We understand there's an affinity towards the type of equipment that was in Community Park. But we're certainly not without an ability to have skate park equipment in the community," Mareck said.