There may be light at the end of the tunnel for skateboard enthusiasts in Malibu. The skateboard park volunteer committee is presenting the city Parks and Recreation Commission with a plan it hopes will stick this time.
The commission will take up the matter at its March 16 meeting, according to recreation staff supervisor Paul Adams. “If the Parks and Recreation Commission feels that it is a good enough proposal, then they will recommend it for City Council approval.”
The city had approved a $25,000 budget last year for the park. Plans to put the park on land behind City Hall backfired a few months ago when underground contamination was discovered on the site. The volunteer committee, made up of parents, kids and skateboard professionals, have persisted since last summer in trying to locate a place in Malibu for skateboarding.
A new, undisclosed location in the area of the Civic Center and Cross Creek has been incorporated into the proposal, says Adams. While he is optimistic about the plan, Adams indicated there may be a downside, and that has to do with money. “The new land site needs an overlay on the surface itself, along with additional access and parking. This minor modification will cost an additional $15,000.”
Adams said the new price tag of $40,000 for the park is still less than half of what comparable parks of this nature cost, adding, “We’re getting a good deal.”