This Bike and Skate Park was constructed in 2005 to great local fan-fair after many donations from various source, including a $5,000 donation from Tony Hawke himself! There's a plaque behind a number of concrete pavers with names that reads:
Madras moves on bike, skatepark
MADRAS - The Madras Bike and Skate Park is rolling toward becoming a reality after four years of car washes, garage sales and grant applications to raise money for the project.
At a City Council meeting Tuesday evening, councilors voted unanimously to ask for bids on the skatepark. According to a draft schedule, construction on the park could start by June.
”My attitude is let's get this hummer built,” said City Manager Mike Morgan. ”I think the community has to be rewarded for the effort of raising money and support they've put in place for the last four years.”
The Madras Bike and Skate Park Committee has raised nearly $200,000 for the park and needs just $50,000 more to cover construction costs, according to Austin Roberts, an 18-year-old Madras High School senior who is active on the committee.
Becky Roberts, Austin's mother, said the committee will find out on April 13 if its application for a $50,000 grant is accepted by the Meyer Memorial Trust.
Austin, a BMX-bike rider, said he's been waiting a long time for the park. Since he started riding in sixth grade, Roberts has had to choose between riding on homemade obstacles at friends' houses or driving to a professional park.
”I go to Bend and Portland, all over the state,” he said.
Roberts said the vote is good news for the growing skateboard and BMX community.
”There's quite a few (skaters) in Madras, more than you'd imagine,” Roberts said.
Councilwoman Melanie Widmer sits on the committee. Widmer doesn't have children, she said, but her husband is a former skater who sympathized with those who've asked for the park.
”I just think it's something the kids really need,” Widmer said.
Greg Kemper started the committee four years ago, Widmer said, but even after he moved to Prineville, community members kept the effort going.
The bulk of the group's funding came from a few large grants, according to Widmer. The Ford Family Foundation, which donated $50,000 to the park, made the biggest contribution.
The Bean Foundation and Oregon Community Foundation each donated $20,000, The city of Madras donated $25,000, Brightwood gave $10,000, and Parr Lumber and Deschutes Valley Water District gave materials and services.
The city donated the land for the park, at the corner of H Street and Marshall Street, on the west side of Madras.
The Tony Hawk Foundation also made a $5,000 donation, Widmer said. Hawk, a skate boarding star known for his self-titled video game and big-air tricks, gave the committee a few tips on how to tweak its park plans, she said.
”Tony Hawk himself had some input on the design,” Widmer said. ”That's pretty cool.”
In other council business, councilors voted to hold a hearing on May 10 to consider increasing system development charges to pay for the impacts of new buildings on city streets.
For a single family home, the charges would move from $600 to $2,200 for a single-family home, Morgan said.
The charges had not been increased since 1991, Morgan said.
Several councilors noted that Madras has been strapped for money to pay for a growing road maintenance backlog.
”Roads will not get paved and cannot get paved when you don't have enough funds,” said Councilor Mark Heckathorn.
Councilor Frank Morton said the steep fee increase is likely to draw protests from developers.
”If we'd been doing $200 a year (increase) and gotten to this over a 10-year period, you wouldn't have had any problem,” Morton said. ”You're going to have screams and squawks over this, I can tell you that.”
To diffuse that sentiment, councilors suggested holding a special night meeting to make a case for raising system development charges. No meeting time was set.