The Northern Virginia Daily

Article Date: May 15, 2006

 Panel recommends soccerplex as skate park site

 By: William C. Flook

The Warren County Parks and Recreation Commission has recommended using the Skyline Soccerplex as the site for a planned skate park.

The commission voted this week to advocate the site on Kerfoot Avenue over another parcel at Lions Park, near Fantasy Land on Commerce Avenue, said Warren County Parks and Recreation Director Daniel P. Lenz.

Identifying a location for the skate park was a necessary step to apply for a grant from the Department of Conservation and Recreation Virginia Outdoors Fund that would pay a large part of the remaining cost of the project.

The county is applying for $100,000 from the state, and must meet a Friday Application deadline.

“We’re hopeful that we will get something out of this [grant], because it will move us that much closer to our goal to get this facility built,” said Lenz.

About $170,000 remains to be raised for the skate park.

The Board of Supervisors will need to vote on selecting the soccer complex for the decision to be official.  The property, owned by the county, was selected over the Lions Park site for a number of reasons, according to Lenz.  Flooding at the latter site was a concern, as was the amount of green space the skate park would take up.

“There really wouldn’t be anything left in the park [If the skate park were to be built there],” said Lenz.  “We feel that every park should have some green space.”

Linda Keen, a member of the parks and recreation commission, agreed.

“I think [the soccer complex] offers the most space, which is definitely what’s needed,” she said..  “To try and put it in down at [Lions Park] , it’s like everything is getting jammed into that area.”

Other reasons given for not selecting the Lions Park site are its proximity to Commerce avenue and the Fantasy Land playground.

Money for the skate park has poured in from various sources, both public and private.  So far, the largest contributors include Warren county, which is providing $75,000 in matching funds; Doris Robbins, who donated more than $30,000 in memory of her son; the Front Royal Rotary Club, which is giving $25,000 and the Tony Hawk Foundation, which is donating $10,000.

“The community has been very generous,” Lenz said.