Nearly a year ago the dream of a new skatepark was just a dream. But eventually the idea found its way to the City Council dais and the proposal was heard during a session in June of 2017.

The Page youths who longed for a more up-to-date skatepark had no clue that $400,000 and a plan to take bids on a contractor had begun.
On October 26, 2017 the city of Page awarded the contract to build the skatepark to Spohn Ranch Skateparks. The park will be more than a skate park, but it will be an all-wheels park for skateboards, rollerblades, bikes and scooters.

The city and Spohn Ranch designers held two input sessions and they invited the Page skaters to add their input regarding what they wanted the completed park to include. Twenty-five skateboarders and bike riders attended the meeting held at the Townhouse. The Spohn Ranch lead designer and project manager, Vince Onel, took their suggestions and contributions seriously.

Onel said he likes working on projects where they get a lot of input from the locals.

“The design was heavily shaped by the community input,” said Onel. “I take all their ideas and put them into the design. I take all the factors, the budget and what the city wants and I try to solve the riddle of what they want and solve it. I make it into a solution that accommodates what they all ask for.

Onel and the Spohn Ranch designers are proud of their skatepark design, which purposely integrated elements to match and honor some of Page’s iconic landmarks.
One of the park’s features is a quarter pipe transition called the Horseshoe Bend Snake Run feature that resembles the meander of the Colorado River around Horseshoe Bend.
“Obviously Horseshoe Bend is so iconic and integral to Page, the landscape and the culture there, so we wanted to pay tribute to the most beautifully occurring natural architecture in the U.S.,” said Onel. “We wanted to create, basically, a sculpture and a concrete work of art that was worthy of living next to one of the all-time most beautiful natural landscapes near Page.”

The new skate park will be an ‘all-wheels, all skills’ park where riders of all ability levels can enjoy themselves, while also providing physical safety, public safety with shade, seating and is ADA accessible.

Due to budget constraints a $23,000 drinking fountain was left out for now but a water line will be included so one can be added at a later date.

City workers began ground-breaking on the new skate park yesterday, and is expected to be completed by Christmas, if not sooner.

Local skater, and regular guest of the current skate park, Antonio Tsinnijinnie is looking forward to the new facility. He says he and the others who have been using the old park are really looking forward to the upgraded space.

“Lately I have been seeing more people carrying skateboards, so it’s getting bigger, more people are [using the current skatepark],” he said.  
The groundbreaking on the park had to wait for cooler temperatures to arrive in Page due to a patented formula of concrete they call Spohncrete, that forms better in cooler temps.

“We have a special concrete mix that was refined over several decades specific for skateparks,” said Onel. “We will work with concrete plants in the area and supply it for the final design.”

Onel said the Spohncrete is more pliable, has a smoother,  glossier texture and outlasts regular concrete.

Onel is looking forward to showing off the finished product, saying his company’s park will be “skateable art” that the City of Page and its skaters will be proud of.