POCATELLO Pocatello’s new skate park was admired by two individuals who labored to make it a reality while standing atop an embankment.
Before the ribbon cutting on Friday, July 25 at 12:15 p.m., David Van Etten and Anne Butler showed EastIdahoNews.com the recently finished Optimist Skate Park on Thursday morning. According to Parks and Recreation director Butler and Skate Idaho founder Van Etten, the park will continue to influence skateboarders in the area for generations to come.
Most of our parks have an effect on generations, and this one will undoubtedly have an effect. Butler remarked, “You all want to take your kids to a park where you used to play.” Everyone there on Friday will have the opportunity to say, “I was here when this opened.” This is what I skated. They will then tell their nieces, nephews, and their children that I was present on that particular day.
To push for a new skate park in Pocatello, Van Etten established Skate Idaho, also called the Southeast Idaho Skate Park Association, in 2017. After relocating to Lower Ross Park in 2015, he visited the aging and run-down skate park and became aware of this need.
I thought, “Wow, this is the skate park in (a) town of this size,” when my kid and I arrived at Ross Park. Van Etten stated.
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When Butler and Van Etten met at the skate park in 2023, Butler was able to assess the facility’s condition and discover ramps that had become so dilapidated that holes had appeared. She started working with Van Etten to come up with ideas for the park even though she wasn’t a skater herself.
In September of the same year, Van Etten’s proposal to renovate the park was approved by the city. The park now has resurfaced ramps and concrete, making skating safer, thanks to a number of kind donations.
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However, Skate Idaho’s objective of having a new skate park constructed persisted.
When City Councilman Brent Nichols pushed for allocating remaining monies from the American Rescue Plan Act to the creation of Optimist Skate Park during a July 2024 work session, Van Etten and Butler realized this would become a reality. The remaining council members concurred, gave Butler the go-ahead to start working on it, and eventually contributed half a million dollars to the project.
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The 7,000–8,000 square foot Optimist Skate Park is home to a number of features, such as a quarter pipe, many ledges, rail features, and banks. Additionally, there is a skateable feature in the park that is shaped like the state of Idaho.
The park’s main attraction, according to Van Etten, is the 41-foot-long and 6-foot-deep skating bowl.
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There is nothing else like this (in our area), which is why everyone is so enthusiastic for it, Van Etten remarked. Many of the skaters here are eager to learn because many of them have never had the opportunity to skate a bowl.
Van Etten was approached by a number of people who said that the Ross Park Skate Park’s renovation had inspired them to pick up their skateboards once more. He believes that the skateboarding culture will be even more vibrant after the new park opens.
There won’t be a scarcity of skaters, in my opinion. According to Van Etten, this park is always crowded.
The new skate park is expected to be operational for at least 20 years, according to Butler and Van Etten.
According to Van Etten, there is no reason why it shouldn’t endure for 20 to 30 years as long as it is maintained and problems are resolved.
RELATED | This is the design of Pocatello’s upcoming skate park.
Regarding Skate Idaho’s future, Van Etten and Butler stated that there is still a lot of space in Optimist Park for the skate park to grow.
Is a playground feasible? A pump track, perhaps? For street features, how about some flat work? Butler stated. However, we will observe the nature of the demand. It’s simpler to go develop additional partnerships to keep adding (to the park) if the demand is strong. We’re happy with what we have, though. Although it might be larger, this is a significant day for Skate Idaho. Today is a significant day for Pocatello. Just having it here makes us very happy.
