WB’s new $415,000 action park scheduled to open Aug. 1

WILKES-BARRE — Mayor George Brown said he got the idea to build a new action park in the city from his seven-year-old grandson.

“He asked me to go for a walk to see the damage that was done to the tennis courts near his house in South Wilkes-Barre,” Brown said. “What we saw was that skateboards had set up a skate park on the tennis courts.”

The mayor said he felt the situation was unsafe and he decided to look into building an “action park” in the city.

Brown said he asked representatives of the skateboards to join a committee to discuss what it would take to build the park.

“We met several times and we asked them what they needed,” Brown said. “We then met with our engineer — PennEastern — and asked for a design. Then we identified who would be best to build it.”

And now, if you drive by Hollenback Park, you will see construction is underway for the action park, and it is expected to be open by Aug. 1.

American Ramp Company is building the park at an estimated cost of $415,000.

“American Ramp has built these parks all over the country,” Brown said. “That’s why we contracted with them. We are building the action park because we need a place for people to use it where it will be much safer.”

Mayor Brown said the action park is specially designed for all levels — beginner, intermediate, and advanced — of skating, skateboarding, and scootering.

And the mayor said the location is ideal with the Hollenback Fire Station located adjacent to the park in case there ever is a need for an emergency response.

Brown said the park is also covered under the city’s liability insurance policy.

“And we expect that this park will be a site for competitions, where participants from outside the area will come here and compete and also patronize our businesses, like our restaurants,” Brown said. “But our main concern was safety of those who enjoy skating, skateboarding and scootering.”

Brown said the action is being built next to the city’s the dog park, which had to be temporarily shut down until the action park opens.

Long time coming

In a Times Leader story in 2007, James Gidosh, a skateboarder from Wilkes-Barre, said, “the need for a local park is unbelievable.”Gidosh served on Mayor Brown’s committee to build the new action park.

Even in 2007, Gidosh had been advocating for a skate park for a decade, citing the need for a safe place to enjoy the sport.

There had been concerns about cost and liability, but Mayor Brown said he managed to get those resolved.