There is a new project beginning in Battle Creek to build a skate park in the downtown area. Historically, there was a skate park that was built in the mid 2000’s under the Washington Street bridge. It was a project that was spearheaded by retired police officer St Johns, and seen some deterioration over the years. Additionally, the park was not designed by skaters according to to members of Battleground Skate house, and indoor skate park located at the Lakeview Square Mall. The Washington Bridge height over the skate park limits jumping from ramps, which is a key aspect of the sport.
Therefore, although the skate park under the Washington Street bridge was a good effort at the time, the new project committee is looking to build a new one with a more open air format similar to the one that opened in Grand Rapids in 2020. For an example of that skate park located at 555 Monroe Street, check out this link here.
The new skate park is to be designed by skaters, and future maintenance will be funded through annual events and competitions held at the venue. The committee driving this project is working with the City of Battle Creek on a site location which will have parking and offer both skating and a pump track for cyclists. More upates and news on this project will be released as the site and funding structures evolve.
The committee is partnering with not only the City of Battle Creek, but also local businesses like Team Active and Battleground Skate House, and is planning to partner with the Battle Creek Community Foundation on fundraising.
The plan for the project is also create a pump track for cycling. The park design will allow use by skooter riders, skate boards, inline skates, bicycles, etc. The skating community in Battle Creek is growing, with over 800 members at Battleground alone. Team Active also has a well established cycling community in the region, and a well designed skate park can become a great attraction for downtown.
I took St. John to that location and gave him the layout back around 1998/99. We used to skate at a parking lot across from the Police Station that Kelloggs loaned us. Chris Alling brought a 1/4 pipe, a round flatland rail, and a fun box. Aaron King and I would meet up with John Kotis, Aram Chakur, Rick and Corey Green, Pete Ramon, Tim Borgman and my brother John and many others…even folks from Marshall, Pennfield, Lakeview, and Springfield to spend hot summer days there. We’d skate the parking garages at night and jam Territorial road. One winter, we explored the old tire factory and set up ramps and trick walls in there. On our way there we passed by the bridge. I envisioned an indoor outdoor park there. There’s still so much room for expansion. St. John came to us one day and told us Kelloggs was taking the parking lot back and we had to remove our ramps. He asked us if we had any ideas. I shared the warehouse idea…which i knew would get a no. Then took him to the bridge. He said he’d pitch it to the city. We went down there as they were laying the asphalt. They listened to us and amazingly came thru. It’s not the best, but I skate it everytime I come back home. I’ve skated all over the world…but from my apartment on Elm Street, pass the YMCA, St. Phil, the Library, and St Thomas ledge. To the Brick stairs outside Weathe r vane and the post office gap…all the way to the round rail outside the Michigan works building…we had the ride of our lives. Great snapshots of skatespots are all over BC in my mind. Skating the MCQuiston Center ledges. The wrestling deck in Central. The benches in WK. The underground lair at Kellogg HQ. Jackson Street loading docks. The lip at Consumers. The federal center. McKinleys old hills. Most of its gone now. Even the Wendy’s ledge in Kzoo. Good times. Shout out to all yall…Chris, Leon, Jake, Brian, and Nick Alling. Aaron King. John Kotis. Pete Ramon. John Prentice. Aram Chakur. Tim Borgman. Rick and Corey Green, Albert Harkins. Jake Barker. John Fleming. DJ Brown. Tom and Eddie Pratt. Mike Harber. Gordo. Corey Brown. Ronnie. Anthony. Jobi. Carlos Eldred. Jason Lotus. Billy Rook. Richi Carpita. Roach. Donnie and Nick Messenger. Jason Smith. Nick and Matt Yonkers. Brandon. Corey and Casey Carleson. John Cheesebrough. Jason Creech. Josh Drake. Ron McManus. Chris Love. Scott Dix. Jamison Smith. Afroking aka Jamie aka Padlōc aka LillyPad. The Greek. Jabree Smith.