NEW PORT RICHEY, FL — For years, skateboarders in New Port Richey have watched their local skatepark deteriorate.
Now, after years of talk about replacing it, a new skatepark could finally be on the way.
WATCH: New Port Richey skateboarders push for long-awaited new skatepark
The city has more than $900,000 set aside for the project, and members of the local skateboarding community are making sure their voices are heard before the final design is approved.
For longtime skater Anthony Biggs Cataldo, the existing park may not offer much, but it remains an important gathering place.
“Even though there’s only a little bit here, I still spend a lot of time here weekly and try to get more people to come to the park,” Cataldo said.
Willie Stansell has watched the park next to the city’s recreation center deteriorate over the years.
“For some reason or another, the ramps kept getting taken out, and they never replaced them,” Stansell said.
The city recently unveiled a rendering of the proposed new park, giving skateboarders an opportunity to see what could replace the aging facility and offer their input.
The proposed design would use concrete, a material skateboarders say is more durable and better suited to modern skateboarding.
“It seems like they are going to do a different kind of facility which they are doing all over Florida now, which is a cement park, and it lasts longer and it’s going to stand the test of time for these kids,” Stansell said.
Other skaters say a modern concrete facility would also be safer and bring New Port Richey’s park up to the standards of today's skateboarding facilities.
“There are parks all over our Tampa Bay area that are full concrete. They are not metal. As you can see, it is easier to get hurt on something like this with the edges and stuff,” Cataldo said. “We deserve a concrete park that is up to par and the standard of today’s skateboarding world.”
The city council still must approve the final design.
Skateboarding has deep roots in the Tampa Bay area. Tampa has hosted one of the country's biggest amateur skateboarding competitions for more than three decades, and the sport became an Olympic event in 2021.
Local skaters say the proposed park could give a new generation a place to learn, practice and grow in the sport.
“I think this would be a good thing for the kids to learn and grow with skateboarding instead of getting pushed out,” Stansell said.
For a community that has waited years for a new place to skate, the project represents the possibility of something that has been missing from New Port Richey for a long time: a modern skatepark built for the next generation.
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For more than 15 years, Erik Waxler has called Pasco County home. He’s dedicated to helping his neighbors from New Port Richey to Dade City solve problems and celebrating those who help others. Share your ideas and tips with Erik below.
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