Kentucky State Police Det. Casey Keown, who lives in Grayson County, has proposed to the Leitchfield City Council constructing a “high quality, concrete skate park” for skateboarders in the community, with an eye toward drawing skate enthusiasts from beyond the county’s borders.
Keown spoke to the council for several minutes Monday night from a prepared text, outlining his thoughts on the idea, particularly that skateboarding has a “positive impact on mental and cardiovascular health.” Moreover, he said, a skate park can “attract tourists to the city looking for high quality skate parks,” and parents who have children with an interest in extreme sports.
Keown, who has clearly researched the idea, initiated a petition in support of a new skate park facility to replace the aging park just below the Grayson County Judicial Center.
“I believe that there will be widespread support for this project, as demonstrated by the petition I started to gauge interest in the skate park,” Keown told the council. He additionally stated that the petition drew “over 450 signatures.”
Keown, who said he grew up skateboarding, estimated the concrete park would cost between $60 and $85 per finished-square-foot, and estimated the cost of construction to be between $648,000 and $935,000.
Land “near the (Grayson County Public) library” could possibly be utilized for the park, Keown said, if the proposal indeed comes to fruition.
Keown said the cost of the park could be funded by a portion of the Parks and Recreation budget, “funds from the county judge-executive’s office,” as well as donations.
Mayor Harold Miller said he spoke with Judge-Executive Kevin Henderson about the idea and both are supportive but the cost of the skate park is of course the most daunting and obvious obstacle.
Miller noted that grant funding could be an option, with Keown saying that the Tony Hawk Foundation – Hawk is widely considered the greatest skateboarder of all time, as well as an entrepreneur — has been rebranded the Skate Park Project. The organization provides grant money to cities building skate parks, but Keown said he believes the city must provide 30 percent of the cost of the project before the Skate Park Project would consider issuing a grant.
There are various other funding possibilities, including state funds.
Councilman Billy Dallas said the idea should be presented to the Leitchfield Tourism Commission, as the potential project could fall under the umbrella of tourism.
Miller said he would like to form a committee to study the feasibility of the project, but he first wants to speak with Henderson, something the mayor said he would do this week.
(Photo: KSP Det. Casey Keown speaking to the Leitchfield City Council Monday night)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
