Casselberry Redevelopment Should Include Skatepark

As Casselberry works hard at redevelpoment to draw millennials as residents, one of the aspects they continue to miss is the need for a skatepark.

Nearly every upwardly mobile city that is creating its own renaissance has invested in one.

Here are some facts:

Skateparks are for more than just the neighborhood kids.  They do create a diverse social space for active youth to enjoy their sport, but more over, they are a vibrant space where the community as a whole is welcomed, crossing generations and cultures.

If Casselberry is serious about distinguishing itself from surrounding cities in a positive way, a world class skatepark will be a big step forward.


 

Support a Skatepark in Casselberry

We are pushing for a full neighborhood skatepark in Casselberry & have been the single biggest and most visible community movement in the city over the past year.

Rather than address the need for a community skatepark, our city's leaders have punted on the project by calling for a Parks Master Plan after getting caught citing one for being the reason no action had been taken during the 2016 Budget Workshop.

Fact:  There has been NO Parks Master Plan in place in the past and it has not stopped recreation planning and development.

A single consultant just proposed providing a study that will lead to a Parks Master Plan for Casselberry.  At what cost?  $74,000.00

That is funding that could otherwise be spent on current recreation needs in our city.

Despite our dismay, we plan to participate in this process and send the clear and convincing message that we have for the past year; Casselberry has a demonstrated need for a modern recreation facility in the form of a skatepark.

In order to continue to attract younger families and have them become residents, we need to provide the recreation they are looking for when they are ready to put down roots.

Stay tuned for developments like community workshops and surveys that will be part of this process.

In the short term, a step towards improving our city has been made by including a skate spot in the Casselton Drive improvement project.  A public input session should take place to see the design of it in early June.

We will update our Facebook Page: Skate 32707 - Support a Skatepark in Casselberry with a date, time and location as soon as it is known.

Attendance is important, as a small group in the area has already surfaced to try and prevent it, citing problems in their community that are totally unrelated to skateboarding as a reason to oppose the skate spot.  We know better and have the facts to support it.

The City Commission needs to hear from all of us that support a vibrant and active community so that they will continue to support the project.

Stay engaged, work hard to spread the word and make certain that you attend any and all meetings that are announced.

Skatepark Events & Community Pride

No different than jazz concerts or art events in Lake Concord Park, the Casselberry Skatepark will also be a venue for events that will be a source of community pride.

Families from across the state, as well as out of state participants will travel to Casselberry if our skatepark is designed and built by professionals

Take a peek at what a family friendly event looked like at the New Smyrna Beach Skatepark last weekend.

Skaters from pre-teen to over 50 years old competed to raise money for Grind For Life, a charity that provides financial assistance to cancer patients when treatment requires them to travel to another city for specialized care.

The Casselberry Skatepark will be a valuable asset to our town.  Your support is needed to continue moving it towards completion.

Call or write the City Commission and voice your support:  commission@casselberry.org

Teamwork makes the dream work!  

Casselberry Downtown & How Skateboarding Would Spur Growth

Currently the conventional wisdom around the Casselberry City Hall complex is to disallow skateboarding.

This policy is due to poor planning policy and a disconnect with the community at large.

Skateboarding continues to grow as a sport and lifestyle within the younger generation that Casselberry seeks to entice into calling the city home.

While all of the current development in the "Downtown District" is geared towards transient (rental) residents, the hope is to have them fall in love with Casselberry and put down roots when they're ready to purchase.

The seeds of change have been sown with the growing art component the city is supporting via the Casselberry Art House and the installations of art rotating through City Hall, but beyond that, there is little that distinguishes us from any other suburban community along 17/92.

The expansion of the park space around City Hall will include a "passive use" park that is set to be the home of more benches and sculptures.

Planning that would inspire the renaissance that is being sought should at minimum include benches and sculpture that would allow and encourage skateboarding in the public space.  By its very designation, true public space is welcoming to everyone.

If the City of Casselberry is serious about providing planning that will sustain it into the future, it should start including skateboarding in its pathways and parks plans.

To better understand, take a look at how skateboarders have influenced planning and the success it achieved in Philadelphia.

 Its time for Casselberry to embrace the future.  A future that will be filled with young families that want to put down roots in an inclusive and hip city, one that welcomes skateboarding.

Art In Casselberry & Why Skateboarding Fits

Casselberry has worked over the years to develop its identity as a center for art and artists in Seminole County. 

Its a big part of the transformation of the city to gain a positive image moving forward and cast aside a checkered past that to this day is mentioned in articles that chronicle the positive growth that is happening.

A growing grassroots movement to bring a skatepark to Casselberry is afoot in the community and if embraced it could help further the ongoing effort to create a stronger art community here.

This TEDx Talk will help you to understand the link between the art community and skateboarding if you haven't already come to know its true.

Think of the possibilities a vibrant skate community would bring to our city.  Dream of the inspired youth that will fill it and further the change we all seek.

 

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.

What about noise from a Casselberry Skatepark?

One of the potential sites for a Casselberry Skatepark is Secret Lake Park.

Secret Lake Park scores very high when skatepark site selection criteria are objectively applied.

How would a skatepark fit within the existing active uses that are already there?

You be the judge:

An overwhelming level of support continues to endorse the construction of a skatepark in Casselberry.

Ultimately, the City of Casselberry will determine where it is built. 

We hope that established criteria is used to make that choice.

Casselberry - A Great Place to Live, Work & Skate

The City of Casselberry branding is currently lost on skateboarders.  Despite the self described "Live, Work & Play" welcoming community image that is being promoted, the fact remains, most parks specifically prohibit skating and recreation spending is focused on events, art and passive spaces.

We've asked our City Commission to reach out to places like Zephyrhills, Lakeland, Gainesville, Branford or Jacksonville Beach to get current feedback from recreation departments on how skateparks have benefited their recreation programming.

We know that one of Florida's oldest public skateparks, Satellite Beach is getting a makeover as the staff there continue to recognize after over 20 years of service, its one of the jewels in their crown.

Listening to others can be of benefit when you don't have direct experience in the subject matter.

Best Recreation Value Available

 We'll continue to be supportive of all other recreational offerings in our diverse town, but we wont take no for an answer for our skatepark either.  We too want a community where we can Live, Work and Play.  The time to make sure our community is inclusive is now.

Casselberry Skatepark Planning

As we continue to advocate for the Casselberry Skatepark, we're starting to hear from a few vocal individuals that are against it, judging skaters based on archaic stereotypes.  Their outlook is shocking to see in today's society.

Its our hope that they will take the time to learn more about skateboarding and join us in welcoming skaters to Casselberry's public spaces.

Casselberry holds itself out as "A Great Place To Live, Work & Play" so we expect to see support from our City Commission & City Staff.

All of our kids deserve to have a safe & welcoming place in the community where they live.

Sign By Clicking Here  

If you haven't done so already,  sign our petition.  When you do, the Casselberry City Commission will be notified of it via email.  Make sure to include a comment when you do!

What To Expect As Casselberry Skatepark Campaign Moves Forward

As the Casselberry Skatepark builds momentum it wont be long before some members of the community will stand up and oppose its construction.

We've already seen a small group of opponents attend the last meeting.

Luckily, their concerns are often simply a fear of the unknown and a symptom of being misinformed.


One of the first "roadblocks" will surely be that a skatepark will be too noisy, so be prepared to hear it and have the facts available to respond.

Sound studies have been conducted many times & they have demonstrated that the noise generated at a skatepark is similar to that of basketball courts and playgrounds.

The City of Portland has studied noise produced at parks.

Together, we're going to make sure the Casselberry Skatepark is built.  Keep contacting City Commissioners to ensure that they know we're awaiting their attention on it to ensure Casselberry is truly a community where everyone can Work, Live & Play.

Recreation For Everyone

A Skatepark Will Benefit Casselberry & Build Community Pride

The Casselberry City Commission has a very limited view of skateparks.  Most of them have not spent time visiting one to learn more about them.  Once they do, they'll all quickly learn how the skatepark will help create a positive family venue that will inspire community pride and deliver a recognizable landmark to help build identity for our city.

Events like the Shred Presidents Day event in Cocoa Beach clearly demonstrate how the skatepark brings together the community in a positive and enriching way.

Its hard to deny the positive aspects of having a well built, properly located community skatepark.

SKATE 32707 will continue to push forward until we see a skatepark built in Casselberry.

Delays will not deter us, they will only serve to strengthen our resolve and become more determined to have the voice of the People of Casselberry heard.

Create A Positive Space for Recreation in Casselberry

Feb 16, 2016 — The City Commission's decisions regarding recent "downtown" improvements are moving Casselberry in a positive direction. Soon an area contained within the Lake Concord Village project will become a 4 acre passive use park.

Currently we have other parks designated as active spaces with bike lanes, bike trails, paddling trails, tennis courts, basketball courts, ball fields and tot lots sprinkled throughout town. We even have an active space for canines, Pawmosa Park.

Great!

Now, let’s include skateboarding on our list of attractive amenities for families, students, residents and tourists.

Skateboarding is a $29 billion business.

A skatepark would be a destination for skateboarders from across Florida and worldwide.

A skatepark would serve to attract visitors and tourists adding to the local economy while providing safe and legal recreational skateboarding for Casselberry kids and adults.

Skateboarding is healthy for kids’ bodies and healthy for the local economy.

The revitalization of Casselberry should include new things that are working in other cities by including them in our community.

Let’s be smart and follow other successful models of city funded/constructed skateparks like Lakeland, Bradenton, Branford, Gainesville and Zephyrhills among others.

By doing that, residents will spend money at local businesses here in Casselberry, as opposed to driving and spending elsewhere in order to enjoy a skatepark.

In recent years the City of Casselberry has spent over $350K to purchase a residential property adjacent to Lake Concord Park, near the Art House in hopes of expanding another passive use park further. Even more money will be need to be spent on demolition of the vacant homes located there before it can transition to its new purpose.

By the time these parcels are ready to become a passive space, the same investment of $300,000 to $500,000 could have provided a skatepark for residents and visitors in an existing active use park.




The call for a skatepark in Casselberry has seen steadily growing community support over the past several months. From a front page story in the Orlando Sentinel, to yard signs declaring support for a skatepark throughout our neighborhoods, petitions are growing and a recent public meeting to educate residents on how the skatepark design process works filled a meeting room to capacity at the Casselberry Police Department; the need has been demonstrated in every way imaginable.

The new “downtown” passive use park’s cost of improvement likely exceeds the per square foot price to build a skatepark by nearly three times.

The Casselberry Skatepark will become a destination that draws visitors to our city.

A skatepark costs approximately $30 per square foot to construct and a skatepark is for recreational use, which provides an active, placemaking, community venue and encourages visitors to come to Casselberry.

The “downtown” park is passive use.

Both good.

One is better for bodies. Recreation is healthier for kids than sitting.

We like what we see happening in Casselberry! The “downtown” park is cool. The fountain and sculpture features will be delightful.

Now, end the delays and please build the skatepark so that our residents have a place they can safely enjoy themselves and the skateboarding tourism other cities enjoy will come to Casselberry.

Its a win – win, with a skatepark, visitors looking for an amazing skatepark experience will include Casselberry in their travel plans and the children and residents of Casselberry will be free to skate safely and legally in their own community, something they can’t do currently.

 Please share this update & encourage family and friends to sign the petition. PETITION

Public workshops hosted by the City of Casselberry will be scheduled soon, once they are, we will be asking everyone to fill them to capacity to make sure our voices are heard: Build A Skatepark Now, we're ready for Concrete Change in Casselberry.

Keep Spreading The Word - Updated Flyer

On January 28th we are hosting Team Pain at the Casselberry Police Department to hear more about the skatepark design process and to organize our continuing efforts to see the Casselberry City Commission take action to designate a site and fund a Casselberry Skatepark.

Make no mistake about it, city government works for the people.  We have to hold them accountable to our wants and needs.

We will not stop until our kids are represented at City Hall and in our parks.

Skateboarders deserve a place to enjoy themselves, no different than basketball, baseball, tennis or soccer, our tax dollars are collected.  We simply ask to have a place at the park as well.  Its not too much to ask.

Join us for a great night that ends with sponsor provided gear being given away in a raffle.

Share the flyer on all social media platforms - we want to fill the room and show the politicians we are in it to win it.

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.

Casselberry Skatepark Gaining Traction

Your hard work and tireless efforts are not going unnoticed.  Look no further than the article below to see how the community is taking notice.

Orlando Sentinel coverage of Casselberry Skatepark Effort

Keep it up!  Put out a sign of Support a Skatepark in Casselberry, sign our petition, follow us on Facebook.  All of these things matter.

Share the upcoming meeting on social media.

Attend the meeting to learn more about what it will take to see concrete trucks rumbling through town to deliver a skatepark to our kids.

Our City Commission takes an oath to represent us, lets make sure they do!

Come Out And Share Your Ideas & Show Support For A Skatepark In Casselberry

The City of Casselberry needs a Skatepark.  We're meeting to hear from skatepark builder, Team Pain, on how the process of designing a world class skatepark happens and to see examples of their previous projects to help guide us towards what we want to see.

Help us fill the room to show support for the project.  Casselberry is our city,  lets show our elected officials what we want, they're in office to do as we ask.

The People's Voice: Casselberry City Commission

2016 is an election year in Casselberry, FL.  As our efforts continue to deliver a skatepark to the kids of Casselberry, we know a lot more about who sits on the Casselberry City Commission and whether they are listeners or not.

The job of all of our elected officials is to be our voice.  The voice of the people. 

We will be engaged in the upcoming election in many ways.  As we see canidates declare, we will make sure to inform our grassroots supporters of their position on a Casselberry Skatepark as well as their political connections and history.

Its time for our voices to be heard. 

What Happens When A Concrete Skatepark Is Built?

It becomes the busiest recreation facility in the city...

Despite an overwhelming response to the idea of Casselberry building  its own skatepark, the project is moving slowly.  Rather than wait for the wheels of government to grind along at its usual pace, SKATE 32707 took the initiative and created a Skatepark System Plan Proposal and provided it to all of the Casselberry City Commissioners.  One of the skateparks used to illustrate a park similar to what we need to achieve an appropriate minimum level of service is the Zephyrhills Skatepark.

 Zephyrhills, FL has a population of 14,012 and set forth to provide its youth with an 8,000 sq. ft. skatepark in 2014.  It was completed in early 2015.

Since its grand opening, an event which was attended by nearly 500 people throughout the day, the skatepark has been an incredible success.

The Zephyrhills Public Works Director who oversees the skatepark characterizes the park as "always busy". He went on to say that almost a year after opening, he routinely hears from City Commissioners like; "I drove by the skatepark and there were about 50 kids there!"

He visits the skatepark often and says the one thing that has surprised him has been the distance people have traveled to visit it.  Its not uncommon for him to meet out of state visitors who have come to Zephyrhills for the sole purpose of skating the Zephyrhills Skatepark.  He's proud of the fact that they are now what he calls "a skateboarding destination".

In the short time the park has been open, the use of the park has been nonstop.  In order to expand its use further, the city will be installing lights to allow for it to be used in the evenings too.

In February 2016 the Zephyrhills Skatepark will host its first contest.  A big crowd is expected.

Casselberry can learn a lot from Zephyrhills and the skatepark they have built. 

Click Here: Contact the Casselberry City Commission and urge them to get the Casselberry Skatepark Project moving.

If you would like a copy of the proposal that was sent to the Commissioners, request one via the contact form below.

SKATE 32707 Has A Lot To Be Thankful For...

The community support to create a space for our youth to come together has been nothing short of amazing.

We'll need your continued support over the coming months to succeed.

Our voices have been heard.  Questions are being asked.  Plans are being laid.

Keep sharing the stoke and get more folks to sign our online petition or place a sign in their yard supporting a skatepark in Casselberry.

The more visible support we have the better.

Thanks for everyone's efforts thus far - teamwork makes the dream work!

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