Lights, Water, and Shade at Portland, ME Skatepark

You can also support the cause by signing our petition here: https://www.change.org/p/lighting-at-the-portland-me-skatepark

Hi All- My name is Sean Randall. I'm a resident of Portland, ME and I spend much of my free time at the Portland Skatepark. I'd like to call attention to the need for further amenities to be installed at this skatepark in order to increase park safety and user accessibility. This is one of Portland's most popular recreational parks, constantly utilized by patrons of all ages, including many families. The park is a well loved and important public space that offers a friendly and inclusive environment for social interaction and physical activity.

The skatepark itself is premier, arguably the best in the state, which makes its lack of basic utilities even more obvious.

Firstly, and most important to riders, is lighting. Lighting is a common skatepark amenity, especially for a park of this caliber. Installing lights would vastly improve accessibility during much of the year when daylight is limited. It would increase safety by improving visibility for riders and discouraging unsavory activity such as vandalism and drug use. Providing lighting is an easy way to maximize the untapped potential of an already existing park. Portland already has a number of public parks that offer lighting, so I would imagine that we might be able to follow logistics that are already in place(e.g. button operated to turn on, timer, set shut-off time etc).

Secondly, I want to highlight the need for a water fountain. I'm frankly amazed that this hasn't yet been addressed. In the entire Dougherty Field complex, including three baseball fields, two soccer fields, a playground, and a skatepark, there isn't one place to take a drink or fill up a water bottle. People need a way to hydrate, especially considering that the field hosts a number of summer camps.

Lastly, and probably easiest to address is the need for shade. The sun beats down relentlessly at the skatepark with almost no shade in sight. To avoid the risk of heat stroke, patrons need a place to get some relief. A shade structure with a bench or picnic table underneath would do wonders not only for riders but also for family members who are there to merely spectate.

I've already begun petitioning and filed a CIP proposal with the City of Portland. I'm not sure what the timeline or the final budget will look like for this project, but I thought it'd be a good idea to get a head start on fundraising. As a point of reference, fundraising for the park expansion began in 2015 which was finally completed just last year in 2023. This process can take years and our goal might rise significantly as we get an idea of expectations from the city.

Thank you for considering this plight for your generous donations.

-Sean