‘If you build it they will come’: Skateboard enthusiasts tout city park

This is what skateboard enthusiasts are promising Orangeburg officials as the city plans to build a $1.1 million skatepark facility that will also include a pump track and food court. The park would be built at the Andrew Dibble Park near the Edisto Gardens.

Max Jervey, 43, says he has been skateboarding in Orangeburg since the 1980s.

“I think this is great,” Jervey said during a public input meeting between skateboarders and city officials Thursday. “I never thought that we would even get to this point here in Orangeburg. I think it is awesome.”

He said growing up in Orangeburg he mainly skated in the streets, so having a designated place would be welcome.

“If we can get this thing going and stuff like that, I have a vision in the future we could even have a contest during the Rose Festival every year,” Jervey said. “The Garden City Classic or something like that.”

Jervey noted when St. Matthews had a park about 20 years ago, kids would come from Greenville and Myrtle Beach to experience it.

“I know we do have that here,” he said. “It is a good thing for the kids. They don’t have a lot to do here and building a skatepark will actually create skateboarders — kids that normally would not have gotten into skating but they will get into it when they have this facility.”

Jervey also thanked Councilman Jerry Hannah, who was in attendance at the meeting, for hanging out with skaters and “understanding what was really going on with us.”

“He had the vision,” Jervey said.

The city has about $580,000 in capital project sales tax monies that will go toward the project.

Another $500,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act monies will go toward the skatepark and pump track as well as plans to build pickle ball and volleyball courts). A walking trail, fishing pier and dog park are also planned.

Grant monies will also be sought by the city.

City officials say there are a number of skaters who have expressed a desire for a skatepark.

“I know we have a healthy skating community here,” Orangeburg City Administrator Sidney Evering said. “We want to do something for your benefit and for the public’s benefit.”

“We want to get this done,” Evering said. “Let’s get this RFP out and let’s get shovels in the ground. I don’t want ya’ll to be waiting too much longer.”

Currently, the skatepark is in its first or architectural phase. The city has engaged with The LandPlan Group South with plans to soon select a skatepark designer.

The city plans to put a survey online for comments and suggestions to be provided.

Some community members have requested that skaters be actively involved in the development process of the park. The project will not be put out for a construction bid until all community input is received.

Aiken resident and avid skater Bo Mitchell suggested the city be practical when it considers what will be built and that the city does not have to build “some crazy, cool, big obstacles” to make a skatepark special.

“You don’t really need that,” he said. “You just need some of the basics so people can just learn and have fun because that is what is going to be driving them to come back and skate it over and over again,” Mitchell said. “If it is something that is easy to maneuver, designed well so you can get from one end to another very easily and not running into each other and just a place where you can have fun, then you are going to greatly enjoy it and you will come multiple times a week.”

“There is an element to having a unique design that makes it different and fun but that does not mean gigantic obstacles,” he said.

Mitchell also suggested the park have a designated area for benches or bleachers where skaters can take breaks or people can watch.

“It is also a key thing to have some space for spectators if you want to attract large contest events and things like that to generate tourism,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell also requested the city provide details on the square footage of their park plans and that a round-table discussion be held with skatepark builders to see what each can provide the city.

“I think it will save a lot of work,” Mitchell said “It is a very hands-on process. It does take a lot to design these ramps and it matters a lot how things work because you want to have enough speed to get from one end to another.”

Preston Geiger, who has been skating for the past 11 years, echoed Mitchell, noting that the reason many kids get hurt is because they will actually sit on the obstacle courses.

“You won’t know because you are kind of looking down on your board until it is too late,” he said.

Robin Mitchell said she ran an indoor skatepark in Aiken for about eight years and noted skaters would come and spend all weekend skating.

“If you build it, they will come,” she said. “They will support it if you build it. They are here in your community. They will show up and their friends will come from out of town and they will stay all weekend.”

“Even from a parents’ standpoint … busted heads and broken bones mean nothing,” she said. “So don’t worry about that kind of stuff. They find ways to still skate if there are major injuries to their body. They are going to get up and keep doing it.”

Suggestions have been made that city officials bring in other communities that have skateparks to ensure the project is built appropriately and any issues such as flooding do not negatively impact the ability to use the skatepark.

Jesse Clayton with 5th Pocket Skateparks was in attendance, as well as skatepark designer The Platform Group, which has designed parks in Charleston, Miami and New York.

Orangeburg Assistant City Administrator John Singh said the city wants to provide a recreational outlet that would combine a skatepark of varying skill levels as well as a pump track for smaller children in an effort to make the venue a place where everyone can have fun.

Singh said the goal is to make the skatepark an attraction beyond Orangeburg and that will help to be a “tourism generator.”

“We want to improve the quality of life,” Singh said. “We want to be cutting edge. We don’t want to be oh ho hum. We want to do something and do things to have people take a look and say, ‘Hey, that is great.'”

The city has done preliminary geotech work to make sure the land will support a skatepark.

City officials say the inspiration for the park is the one built at Columbia’s Owens Field in Rosewood.

The Columbia skatepark was planned and designed by Wally Hollyday Design — a California-based general contractor specializing in the design and construction of custom concrete skateparks.

The next meeting will be held May 23 at 6 p.m. at the City Gym at 410 Broughton St.

The meeting will be available for public viewing on the city’s Facebook page under the search: City of Orangeburg.

Individuals wishing to make comment by phone via the Zoom meeting are encouraged to contact the city at 803-533-6000 by noon on May 22.

Public comments can also be sent to publiccomment@orangeburg.sc.us by noon on May 22.