Development of the new Arvin Skatepark has been an ongoing project since 2013, but in October of 2015, the Arvin City Council voted to allocate funding for skatepark construction. Over 40 youth advocates tipped the scale for something they believe will benefit the entire community.
“It got to the point where [the old skatepark] was becoming dangerous to use,” said Arvin City Councilman Jose Gurolla. The previous steel/wood skatepark was demolished in 2014.
“We have nothing to skate, no rails or ledges. The fact that we always get kicked out of places and now we have a place to go makes me excited,”
said Arvin resident Misael Prado, a 19-year-old skateboarder.
As the nation’s premiere skatepark designer, Spohn Ranch expertly led two design workshops with the local skateboarding community. To help workshop participants achieve a sense of scale, we created large format drawings of the site and provided 3D-printed scaled skatepark elements. This allowed Arvin youth to vocalize ideas and shape the design in a meaningful way.
“It was clear what the youth desperately wanted and needed,” says Bike Bakersfield’s Director Jason Cater, whose organization works to promote bicycling as a safe, fun and environmentally friendly means of everyday transportation. “[They] have spent months advocating for the park, from gathering petition signatures to presenting design sketches to City of Arvin officials.”
At 7,000 square feet, this linear skatepark design has all of the essentials, including a 3-lobed bowl at 4’-6’ and a long stretched-out street course.
The Arvin Skatepark is taking shape at Digorgio Park, named after agricultural entrepreneur Joseph Di Giorgio. It’s located in the heart of Arvin at Haven Avenue and Meyer Street.
Skatepark construction is progressing swiftly and is anticipated to wrap up in another 4-6 weeks. Stay tuned for more information!
“This is a big step towards making our community parks more family and youth-friendly,” Arvin City Council Member Jazmin Robles said. “The skatepark isn’t just a park for a certain group of people or kids, I really think that it can eventually have an impact on the environment of the entire city.”
To view the final product, check it out here!
