Blairstown Enhancement Committee is fundraising
Help build Footbridge Skate and Arts Park
Please pitch in to make Footbridge Skate + Arts Park a reality in Blairstown, NJ!
The Blairstown Enhancement Committee has picked up the mantle of making this awesome outdoor recreation and community space a reality. Really- it's actually happening!
What we plan to create:
- A 7,000 - 10,000 sf poured concrete skatepark, designed by 5th Pocket Skateparks . They are AWESOME and already stoked about our project!
- A killer outdoor amphitheater and arts space integrated into the skatepark (and also skateable!)
- Outdoor gallery spaces that feature local artists
- Enhanced accessibility to the park so everyone can enjoy it even more
- Lighting to the parking lot for safety and visibility
- Opportunities for young people to be a part of their community in a new way
*Some background:*
If you're local, you may remember that in the 90s and early 2000s, Footbridge was a vibrant grassroots skate spot that allowed folks to skate, play music, and generally be together. Tucked in an unused corner of Footbridge Park in historic Blairstown, NJ, the area around the asphalt pad that skaters utilized in the park has been asking for more TLC for a long time.
Footbridge Park is beautiful. Both the Paulinskill River and the Paulinskill Trail run through it- two incredible local resources that allow locals and visitors alike to appreciate what is great about rural NJ. It also has a special history, as the former site of a train station that helped the early growth of our town, putting us on the map.
Over the years, the original skate crew and several subsequent groups all attempted to initiate an official park with the town itself, but didn't gain enough municipal support at the time.
We're very lucky to have the unequivocal support of the Blairstown Township Committee to pursue this project further, and support from current and past residents has been overwhelming. Now it's time to start!
Our fundraising goal of $500,000 is ambitious, but we truly believe folks want to make this happen with us, and we are so excited to be organizing this effort.
Approximate Breakdown:
- 80% of funds to Skatepark Design/ Construct.
- 8% to research + development, including paying our part-time Executive Director over the course of the project (likely 2-3 years) to handle permitting, planning, government interfacing; printing signage; holding community meetings; etc.
- 12% to lighting and additional elements not yet mentioned
During the course of the project we will aim to solicit in-kind donations (aka material donations, volunteer hours, professional expertise) from the community to get everyone as involved as possible, while also reducing the cost of the project. Any funds in excess of our goal, or in excess of estimated costs, will go right back into the community via the Blairstown Enhancement Committee, an official nonprofit organization (501c3).
A sidenote- if any environmental (ie proximity to the Paulinskill River) or other unforeseen matters prevent the project from getting approval at the state level, we will work with the town to relocate the skate and arts park. That said, we are optimistic for the location as planned and are working with town, county, and state authorities to work through the bureacracy!
We will be adding tons more assets, a new-and-improved website, graphics, and info in the coming weeks. For now, please join us in getting the word out and making this happen!
THANK YOU!!!
Team Footbridge of the Blairstown Enhancement Committee
- K
- D
- A
146 supporters
guidestar.org/profile/47-2482784
charitynavigator.org/ein/472482784