ST. MARY’S COUNTY, Md. – Skaters have something to look forward to with renovated and new skateparks coming to St. Mary’s County. Pillar Design Studios and Artisan Skateparks met with the St. Mary’s County Recreation and Parks staff to go over the proposals for the parks’ construction.
The two parks proposed for construction will be Nicolet Park in Lexington Park and Chaptico Park in Mechanicsville, according to Kyle Kebaugh, Parks Operations Manager of the St. Mary’s Recreation and Parks Board.
Construction for the parks will potentially begin at the beginning or end of summer, according to Kebaugh.
“We are excited for both these projects to go underway simultaneously,” Kebaugh said.
Members of the Southern Maryland Skateboard Association attended the meeting to give feedback on the concepts proposed, giving community responses on the concepts proposed so the best possible skatepark could be constructed.
“Thanks again for the opportunity to provide community input,” SOMD Skateboard Association commented on a recording of the meeting. “Building a skate park that caters to the local community is what will create pride in ownership.”
Nicolet Park
The construction in Lexington Park’s Nicolet Park will include partial renovations of the existing 12,000 square feet of park, according to Kebaugh. Along with the renovations, the park will receive an expansion.
Three designs for Nicolet Skatepark are being considered, according to Brad Siedlecki, owner of Pillar Design Studios. The three designs are similar, with the third concept mixing ideas of the first two concepts:
- – Nicolet Concept A would focus on making the existing park a more high-speed transition with the addition being a more technical and slower style of skating.
- – Nicolet Concept B would focus more on street-style skating with its renovations that would include a stair set.
– Nicolet Concept C would take ideas from the other two concepts to create a combination of both their focuses.
Chaptico Park
The skatepark being built in Mechanicsville’s Chaptico Park will take a phased approach, according to Siedlecki. The construction will start with a smaller park that could be expanded upon later. The expansion of the proposed concepts would depend on the usage of the smaller skatepark, more money could be granted with enough usage to expand the park by constructing the rest of the concept.
- – Chaptico Concept A would include a back-and-forth street and a concrete pump track that’s tied into a mini ramp.
- – Chaptico Concept B would include a new parking lot for closer access and an asphalt pump track with a phase two that would add an open-ended mini ramp.
- – Chaptico Concept C would include street and transitional-based ideas tied together along with an asphalt pump track that is all surrounded by a quarter-mile walking look.
If you would like to watch the full presentation, click here.
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Bad idea, this will bring more thugs and give them additional places to destroy and deal their drugs
Just what we need a place for thugs to gather and hang out. Maybe if we invest in our schools and educate our youth versus this crap our deputies can actually police without the fear of being shot.
My family and I spend a lot of time at the Nicolet skate park, it’s great for a sunny afternoon on roller skates and bikes. A lot of good bonding time and a great way for my kids to expend energy. Not once have I seen a *questionable* person at the park. Just other folks enjoying beautiful days and recreation. I love that the county is investing in these places!
Crawl out from your rock and join us in the real world, go back and look at how much violence occurs daily in Lexington Park, great mills and you will see how correct we are
You said this to someone who was talking about having actually gone to and experienced the place that’s being hyped up as scary… telling them to go outside and experience it…
Didn’t realize upgrading existing skate parks would attract thugs…and endanger law enforcement. 🤔. The things we learn from ‘experts’.
You aren’t from around here and definitely don’t know the history of Lexington park and great mills road area
Really glad to hear that you oppose this! That means you more than likely will not visit the park. That’s great! The last thing the kids and families that will come enjoy these parks needs is an ignorant troll like you skulking around, ruining everyone’s good time. So, go heat up another Hot Pocket and continue your keyboard warrior crusade. You are doing such noble work!
If you allow your kids to hang out anywhere in Lexington park you need a head examination asap
the lack of empathy in the comments always startles me. Oh well, forward we move
Facts are facts, the first comments are facts, look at the daily shootings in the park
School funding is state level, so different conversation. Thinking recreation attracts thugs is simple minded. You say that we should invest no money in an area because it has crime. Just make people smarter.. throw money at the education system, plagued with waste.
See your thoughts really don’t make sense even for a conservative. You are purely just a hater, plain and simple.
Facts are facts, you obviously have no clue
I have a challenge for you, go hang out in Lexington park great mills road area at night and let me know how that works out for ya
I have a few challenges for you, Anonymous:
1. List how many volunteer hours you’ve put into benefitting this county.
2. List the number of local children you’ve mentored.
3. List the amount of money you’ve donated to local organizations.
4. List the number of town hall meetings you’ve attended to voice your concerns with county issues.
5. List the number of hours you’ve spent with your neighborhood organization to improve your direct community.
If you can’t answer any of these, but yet still complain about the county, then perhaps look in the mirror for the reasons this county has flaws.
If you think this area is so bad, why are you still here? Either leave or crawl out of your cave and help make a difference. Hiding behind a keyboard fear-mongering solves nothing.
Hey my friend. Just reaching out to let you know that I did this recently at Nicolet Park to prove you’re wrong. I was there from last Sunday (05-04-24) to this Wednesday (05-08-24). This was not the first time I’ve even done this because sleeping there in my car isn’t a big deal because I’m not a basement dwelling boomer like you. Hope you move out of my beloved county, but if you don’t you can find me any given day at Nicolet Park and you can ask for Jackson Potter for a friendly conversation.
Hey my friend. Just reaching out to let you know that I did this recently at Nicolet Park to prove you’re wrong. I was there from last Sunday (05-04-24) to this Wednesday (05-08-24) in my vehicle with no problems and no unfriendly visitors. This is not the first time I’ve even done this, nor is it the longest. I hope you move out of my beloved county and to some place that values complacent boomers like you. If you want to come to Nicolet and observe for yourself the reality of the situation, and ask for Jackson Potter and we can have a friendly and educated conversation.