COLUMBIA FALLS — A project years in the making is inching closer to the finish line as Columbia Falls looks to build its first skate park.
“I’ve driven to the Whitefish skate park and every time I’ve left town, I’ve known there are people here that were not in the car with me, they were not going that day, and they couldn’t skate that day,” said Bad Rock Skate Park Association co-founder Matt Holloway.
Holloway and his teammates at Bad Rock Skate Park Association are hoping that day will soon change as they usher in Columbia Fall’s first skate park.
“We initially went to the city, and I think the only criteria that we had was that we just wanted to be accessible by foot, skateboard, bicycle, by all the little people, adults included of course," said Holloway.
Partnering with the city, Holloway and his team found the perfect location, just a block away from downtown at Fenholt Park.
“You know this isn’t as rural as some places in Montana but in these communities, kids need all the outdoor opportunities they can have, especially in the age of technology, fresh air and exercise, the community that comes along with that. You know, I’ve skated since middle school and some of my best friends are through skateboarding,” said Holloway.
Thanks to grant funding and a lot of community support, Holloway said they’ve reached their funding goal.
Columbia Falls is accepting bids for the construction of the skate park through August 15, 2024, with a groundbreaking to be held shortly thereafter.
“Have about a three-month project and possibly have it finished before the snow comes,” added Holloway.
Columbia Falls resident Rebecca Powell joined the Bad Rock Skate Park Association to help give her children easier access to skateboarding.
“My kids are not necessarily like the sports stars that like the team sports, they are more into individual stuff and there’s just not a lot of stuff like that in the community in Columbia Falls right now, and traveling around and seeing all these skate parks popping up in different communities and it was like why can’t Columbia Falls have one of these?” said Powell.
Holloway and his team designed the 12,000-square-foot skate park to be unique and rideable for all skill-levels.
“And it will be friendly on all levels that was one of our other imperatives was that we want beginners to roll up and be happy, we want advanced skaters to come and have a good time as well and I think we accomplished all of that,” said Holloway.
