After several long delays, the new Artist Walk Skate Park in Jackosnville’s Riverside community has become a place for skaters from all walks of life to enjoy their hobby, find community and stay active.
University of North Florida skaters are embracing the new park’s perks, such as its convenient location, hours and style.
UNF student and Skate Club member Brennan Savage has been to the Artist Walk Skate Park three times and continues to enjoy it.
“The coolest thing about this skate park specifically is that it’s [open] 24-7,” Savage said.
Savage has also gone to two other skate parks in addition to the Artist Walk Skate Park. He mentioned the two others are half the size of the Artist Walk Skate Park and are either “entirely professional” or “not so professional.”
According to Savage, the Artist Walk Skate Park is a “mix of in-between,” so skaters of all ages are able to skate without much pressure. He also observed that most skaters at the park have been young adults from middle school to early college age.
UNF student and UNF Skate Club President Chaz Guernsey has gone to the skate park four times with other club members.
He is very appreciative of the skate park being under a bridge, calling it the “best idea ever.” He also appreciates that the “JAX” letters can be skated on.
According to Guernsey, the best time for UNF students to go is, “during the day between classes,” before most school-aged children get out of school.
The only downside Guernsey finds with Artist Walk Skate Park is its 25-minute commute from UNF’s campus. He would prefer a closer option.
“We need a Southside skate park,” he said. “One of the public parks…could just use a skate park.”
The Artist Walk Skate Park, designed by California Skateparks, opened this year on Aug. 8 under the Fuller Warren Bridge in the Riverside neighborhood. The park’s almost $9 million budget was funded by the City of Jacksonville and the Florida Department of Transportation, according to News4Jax.
The Artist Walk Skate Park is also part of the Emerald Trail project, a 30-mile network of public trails and spaces connecting 14 neighborhoods to Downtown Jacksonville.
The park’s Riverside location places it close to the Cummer Museum of Arts and Gardens and the historic Five Points neighborhood, providing guests with opportunities to explore Jacksonville’s surrounding areas. The park’s surrounding spaces will also be used for the weekly Riverside Arts Market, according to Downtown Jacksonville’s official website.
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