A once desolate space underneath US Highway 277, in the City of Eagle Pass, Texas will soon be the home to a 8,500 square foot concrete skatepark. If you’re not familiar with Eagle Pass, it sits directly on the cusp of the Texas-Mexico border, separated by the Rio Grande.
After years of behind-the-scenes advocacy. the project kicked into high gear when Spohn Ranch hosted a public skatepark design workshop in July of 2017. Engaging with the local skateboard community provided valuable input that directly shaped the skatepark design and ensures decades of success.
In addition to our role as skatepark designer, Spohn Ranch was also selected as the City’s skatepark builder – with a turnkey scope including stormwater management, earthwork, concrete/shotcrete, steel fabrication and an asphalt parking lot.
Siting the skatepark under a highway was a smart decision for several reasons:
- Overhead covering from the highway keeps the skatepark shaded and cool on hot summer days.
- On rainy days, the concrete stands a strong chance of staying dry.
- The space sat under-utilized for decades and was not inviting to traditional amenities. Skateboarders, on the other hand, aren’t picky!
The final skatepark design is transition-heavy by request of local skateboarders, featuring a 5-7′ bowl with Tedder Stone pool coping (a favorite of professional skateboarders) and smaller quarter-pipes lining the entire skatepark. Street elements like rails, stairs and hubba ledges are artfully woven into the design, complementing transitions without cramping them.
We broke ground on December 18th and the skatepark build is scheduled to be complete, weather dependent, in March of 2018. View our updates below.
Feb 14th update
March 5th update
March 28th update
