Villa Park seeks skate park funding

Villa Park is rolling forward with efforts to replace its existing skate park with a new facility.

Village trustees have decided to pursue an Illinois Department of Natural Resources grant to pay for half of the proposed $356,000 project, which also would involve redesigning a soccer field into two smaller fields.

Plans call for the proposed skate park, which would include rails, ramps, and other features sought by area youths, to be built west of the Iowa Community Center near Addison Road.

Members of a skate park committee say they hope the more visible location helps to keep users interested in the facility. The new site also is expected to deter vandalism, which has been an ongoing problem at the existing skate facility at Jefferson Park along Terrace Street.

"It lends itself greatly to this site," said Carrie Karl, the village's superintendent of recreation.

If built, the project would include landscaping, concrete, path to the site, an accessible water fountain, bleachers, security cameras and fencing. About $100,000 would be spent on equipment.

Finalists in the grant process will be invited to give a presentation in October to state officials.

If Villa Park's project makes the cut, the state would notify village officials around the end of the year, Karl said. Skating enthusiasts hope the roughly 1,200 signatures of support collected over just one day will give the village's application an edge.

Village officials say they plan to pursue corporate sponsors to help pay the municipality's share of the project's total price tag.