Seymour Teens Talk Skate Park

About 15 middle and high school students from Seymour got a glimpse of what a new skate park/BMX park in town could look like at a gathering Thursday held to get their input on what they’d like to see included in the project.

Mike McIntyre, an official with Action Sport Design, a California-based company that designs and builds skate parks, and Kanten Russell, a former professional skateboarder now working for the company, began the meeting by reviewing past projects they’ve been involved with and handing out a questionnaire to the students.

But even before the meeting began, students knew what they want to see.

Noah Watson, a seventh-grader, said he wants bigger ramps than the ones at the old park on Wakeley Street.

Just something that we can ride,” the 13-year-old said.

And more space,” Aneudi Carrion, an 11-year-old sixth-grader, chimed in. The old one was small.”

Watson, who said he and his brother, Josh, a 16-year-old high school sophomore, brought the idea for a new park to the attention of officials at the beginning of the school year, said on a nice summer day as many as 40 kids would use the park.

It attracts riders from throughout the Valley, he said. They come from all over.”

Click here to read a previous story on the town’s plans for a new skate park.

PHOTO BY FRYThe park used to be downtown, on Wakeley Street.

But it had to be moved as part of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s plans to construct a fish bypass canal in the Naugatuck River. That project is still pending.

A skate/BMX park committee has been meeting to come up with plans for the new skate park. They are planning to pay for the park with about $187,000 in state grants.

The proposal calls for using about 12,000 square feet at Randall Field near the Naugatuck River on Pine Street, next to the parking lot for the town’s community center. The land currently has playing fields and open space.

Carrion also said the new park shouldn’t have an admission fee.

If we were to make a new one it’d be better if it’s free,” he said.

Several members of a town Skate Park Committee attended Thursday’s meeting and said there would be another meeting in about a month to firm up plans for the park.

From there, the project would be put out to bid. Committee member Mike Horbal said he hoped to see a new park in place in the late summer or early fall.

We’re still in the preliminary design phase,” said Matt Thompson, another member of the committee. We’re trying to really get as much feed back from the kids (as we can).”

PHOTO: Ethan FryWhile introducing himself and Russell, McIntyre stressed his company’s commitment to giving each park they build unique design features suitable for all skill levels.

Nothing is cookie-cutter,” he said. This has to have Seymour identity We’re going to work with you guys on making something that’s functional.”

In addition to the informational meetings to get students’ opinions, the company’s website will have a portal where those interested in weighing in on the design will be able to log in and share their views. 

Plans for a skate/BMX park cleared a hurdle at the April 3 Board of Selectmen meeting, when elected officials voted to terminate a lease that the town had with the Seymour Housing Authority on Randall Field.

The lease, first signed in 2003 and modified several times since, called for housing on the site now eyed for the skate park.

However, Randall Field is 8 feet below flood plains, which made it impossible for the Seymour Housing Authority to get funding for any housing development, officials said at Tuesday’s meeting.

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