To the City of North Liberty, Iowa, and the North Liberty City Council:

 

We, the, skaters, families, and community members, respectfully ask the City of North Liberty to consider developing a public skatepark in North Liberty.

 

North Liberty is a growing community with many parks, recreational facilities, and opportunities for residents to stay active. However, one recreational activity that is currently missing is a dedicated place for skateboarding.

 

For skateboarders in North Liberty, the nearest dedicated facilities are outside the community, including the skatepark in Iowa City and Riverside Skatepark in Cedar Rapids. Iowa City currently has a dedicated concrete skatepark at Terrell Mill Park, and the city is even expanding its facility with additional skatepark space and a pump track.

 

The problem is that not everyone has access to a car.

 

I personally am a skateboarder, and I do not currently have a car. Because of that, getting to skateparks in Iowa City or Cedar Rapids is extremely difficult. Without reliable transportation, I am often left skating on flat ground around town or trying to find places that were never designed for skateboarding. Even when I find a good place to skate, I am frequently asked to leave because it is private property or because the area is not intended for skating.

 

I don't want to cause problems or damage property. I just want somewhere that I am actually allowed to skate.

 

A skatepark in North Liberty would give skateboarders a safe, legal, and accessible place to practice, exercise, learn new skills, and spend time with other people in the community. It would also give younger residents and people without reliable transportation an opportunity to participate in skateboarding without depending on someone else for a ride.

 

A dedicated skatepark could also become more than just a place to skateboard. Skateparks can provide a place where people of different ages and skill levels meet, teach each other, exercise, and build friendships. Recent community skateboarding activities in the Iowa City area have included free sessions where beginners can learn alongside experienced skaters, showing the potential for skateboarding to be a welcoming community activity.

 

We are not asking the City to immediately commit to a specific design or construction budget. We are asking the City to seriously explore the possibility of creating a skatepark in North Liberty and to involve local skateboarders and residents in the planning process.

 

We respectfully request that the City:

 

- Consider identifying potential locations for a public skatepark in North Liberty.

- Study the feasibility and potential cost of constructing one.

- Seek input from local skateboarders, families, and residents about what the facility should include.

- Explore grants, donations, partnerships, and other funding opportunities that could help make the project possible.

- Consider transportation and accessibility for residents who do not have access to a car.

- Include features suitable for beginners as well as more experienced skaters.

 

North Liberty has a growing community, and its residents deserve recreational opportunities that reflect the interests of the people who live here.

 

For people like me, a skatepark wouldn't simply be another park. It would mean having somewhere to go, somewhere to practice, and somewhere to belong — without needing a car just to participate.

 

Please consider building a public skatepark in North Liberty, Iowa.

 

We support the development of a public skatepark in North Liberty.