Get Ready For Casselberry Parks Master Plan Process - Skatepark Support Needed

 A consultant is about to be hired by The City of Casselberry to help develop a Parks Master Plan. Part of the work that will take place will be a survey of citizens to learn more about what is needed & wanted to better serve the community's recreation needs.

For the past year we've been advocating for a Casselberry Skatepark on behalf of our supporters at no cost to the city. Despite the signs in yards across our community, TV coverage & a front page story in the Orlando Sentinel, we have yet to be heard clearly. That is about to change.

As soon as we hear the survey has been released, we'll spread the word to ensure you, the grassroots supporters of a better more inclusive Casselberry know about it.

When Public Workshops are scheduled, we will make sure to spread the word. We will need you all to join us there to raise our voices together to be heard loud and clear; We the People of Casselberry Support a Skatepark!

Our time is near. We will succeed. We wont be stopped.

Keep sharing this petition. Send your own emails to the Casselberry City Commission. Talk to neighbors and family. Keep building the grassroots to ensure we see positive growth for our kids and provide them a safe and inviting space to call home.

Thanks for all you've done so far! Even though City Hall has been slow to react, your voices are being heard all across Central Florida. Keep up the great work.

Share the coverage that News 13 just aired on every social media platform you can. Teamwork makes the dream work!

Click the Link for Full Story:

 News 13 Story

By: Jeff Allen - Seminole County Reporter

CASSELBERRY -- 

Skate parks across Central Florida are a popular place for teenagers to hang out.

In Casselberry, however, the push to get a skate park is dragging on. The city has hired a consultant to create a parks plan that could take up to 6 months to complete.

Danny Miles says if skateboarding has taught him anything, it’s the importance of persistence.

“I’ve tried for hours to land one specific trick,” said Miles. “That’s the thing; if we fail we get up and do it again.”

Miles says he’s just as determined to get a skate park built in Casselberry. He says skaters in every community need somewhere nearby where they can stay busy perfecting their skateboarding moves, and stay out of trouble.

“Your friends are saying let’s go do this, and you say no I was trying this trick yesterday and I really want to go get it today,” said Miles.

“That mindset of wanting to progress has kept me out of trouble.”

The group pushing for a skate park has gotten a lot of support on social media.  The group also has received permission from residents across Casselberry to place yard signs on their properties that signal support for their effort.  

We first told you about the push for a skate park in Casselberry back in March 2015.

Casselberry’s city manager says the consultant is asking residents what they would like to see included in the city parks system, but there are no definite plans to build one right now.

Danny says he’ll continue to join others in the push to get a skate park built, even if they don’t get it on the first try.

“As skaters we’re not afraid to fail. That’s why with this skate park we’re going to keep pushing, keep pushing to have it made,” said Miles.

Front Page News - Support a Skatepark in Casselberry

Many of the citizens of Casselberry and surrounding communities have been actively raising their voice, asking to be represented at City Hall by their City Commissioners.  Their hard work, signatures on petitions and signs in their lawn supporting the construction of a skatepark have garnered regional attention.

In a community that has everything from baseball fields, basketball & tennis courts, walking/biking trails, playgrounds, golf course and even a kayak rental program for a blueway trail, there are no skateboarding facilities.

As the City Commission does nothing significant to advance the idea, no staff studies or commissioning of a study committee, we've provided our best effort at a comprehensive proposal for a neighborhood skatepark and city wide system of skate spots leading to it.  The idea of a skatepark system would increase the potential for state funding as roadway projects are designed and completed in the future where FDOT is involved.

For now, the front page news is that our journey continues.

 
 We'll continue to push as a community until our kids get the safe place they deserve in a park.  A place where they can build a community network of their own, a place they can proudly call their Casselberry.

Skatepark System Plan Proposal Submitted

SKATE 32707 is leading the way to a neighborhood skatepark in Casselberry Florida.  Since we first approached the City Commission with the idea we've been hard at work keeping the information flowing.

Surely youve seen "Support a Skatepark in Casselberry" yard signs all around town.

You may have even signed our online or traditional petition of support.

What you haven't seen or heard is progress towards identifying a location or budget for the proposed skatepark.

We've met with two of the five City Commissioners on multiple occasions.  As a result of their input, we spent the time to develop and publish a Skatepark System Plan for Casselberry.

Now that they have it in hand, we are hoping to see further movement on the project.  Only time will tell.

Within the plan, as submitted, we determined Secret Lake Park was the best location for the proposed Casselberry Skatepark.

During a recent meeting with a supportive City Commissioner, we learned of their interest in developing an unused area adjacent to the Casselberry Golf Course.

We love the idea.  It has parking, is centrally located and visible, is nearby a trail head that connects a lot of neighborhoods to the east and there is a snack bar at the golf course clubhouse where drinks and food can be purchased.

We'll see where the idea leads as work on the Casselberry Skatepark continues in the future.

Until then, keep sending the City Commission letters or emails detailing your support for bringing this project forward and making the Casselberry Skatepark a reality.

Email Casselberry City Commission

Would It Get Used?

So far, the "Number 1 Question" that has been expressed as a potential roadblock to The Casselberry Skatepark project getting approval and funding has been...

"Will it really get used?"  

We took a little trip over to Longwood's Candyland Park to check out the modular skatepark the other day to see what kind of use its getting.

The skatepark there is less than desirable.

Their modular steel ramps are not very well thought out in their placement.  As a result, there is no flow.

The number of users on a nice fall afternoon resulted in a lot of standing around and waiting by everyone.

Simply put; with a lot left to be desired, the Candyland Skatepark is very well used.  In the hour and a half we were there we saw 18 skaters come and go along with 7-8 bmx'ers.

The Casselberry Skatepark will be much larger, planning indicates a minimum of 10,000 sq. ft. should be built.

The park is expected to be concrete construction and its design will be through input from the skate community, so expect great things.

When all of the effort is rewarded, we know one thing is for sure, it will be very popular and it will be used a bunch.

The folks that need to know this are City of Casselberry Commissioners.  Please email them to let them know the construction of a Casselberry Skatepark is an important issue that needs immediate attention.

Click the Link Below:

Email Casselberry City Commissioners 

Skatepark Advocacy Inspires Casselberry Youth

Seeing the issue of advocating for a skatepark in Casselberry, Florida inspire a couple of teens to spend the day traveling through the neighborhood seeking supporters for the SKATE 32707 petition is nothing short of uplifting.

Active sports like skateboarding and BMX teach lessons that translate well to real world success and  they are clearly evidenced here as well. 

To get the attention of our elected officials at Casselberry City Hall, SKATE 32707 is going to make the issue of bringing a skatepark to Casselberry top of mind until there is positive movement towards that goal.

Despite being given an initial answer of "show us support for the idea"; despite clear & obvious support, the goal line was moved forward without any clear or achievable finish line.  Instead, our request became the catalyst for the creation of a Parks Master Plan, something the city has not had nor studied since 2005.

No different than learning the next trick on a skateboard or bike, we're going to stay focused, continue to work & persevere.  We know this: its not if a skatepark will be built, its a matter of when.

The kids of Casselberry deserve their own place where they can enjoy skateboarding and BMX.  Its tiem to get them off the streets and into a park.

With determination and focus like the kind displayed by our youthful supporters today, we will succeed in seeing our goal achieved.