New Cedar Rapids skate park set to open in July

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Crews are currently working on the new Cedar Rapids Riverside Skate Park.

Nate Sherwood, the owner of Eduskate, a skate shop in downtown Cedar Rapids, has hosted competitions at the old skate park in the past. He emphasized how the skate park would not only be good for the community but for tourism as well.

“It becomes a magnet spot for a lack of a better term. People will travel hundreds and hundreds of miles to stay in lodging, to eat at local restaurants and to like skate that park for a few days. So a lot of people it’s their weekend getaways,” said Sherwood.

The park is relocated about 50 feet away from the old one to make room for a detention basin. The old one was removed in September 2022. That’s part of the city’s flood control system. The replacement park is near the Czech Village area. That’s closer to C St SW and even includes a new playground.

Hashim Taylor the Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreations Director said beautiful days like this help with construction progress.

“We’re able to see more progress done as they had a pour this morning, smoothing things out, so really excited about that,” said Taylor.

Sherwood said he’s glad to see a new gener”skate”tion of people picking up the hobby, just like he did as a kid. He still loves to skate despite his age.

“There’s a lot of grown men that are middle age like myself that rides skateboards, it’s just like pickle ball you know what I mean, there’s no difference between what we do and shuffleboard or pool league or anything like that. There’s a lot of people that enjoy skateboarding of every demographic, every gender, every race and it’s a beautiful thing in that way that brings people together,” said Sherwood.

The city of Cedar Rapids reiterates that the community is patient until the project is done. The new Riverside Park will also have lighting so people can skate after dark, until the park closes at 10 pm.

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