Locals Petition for Skate Park Upgrade
The Harry R. Francis Skate Park at Adobe Park on San Miguel Avenue in Castro Valley.
Some dedicated skateboarders in Castro Valley are hoping their fundraising effort will inspire the parks department to do a 360 flip and improve the skate scene at Adobe Park.
Kevin Singh, a student in Castro Valley, started a petition late last month after comparing the simple structures (known to skaters as obstacles) at the Adobe site on San Miguel Avenue to other skate parks in the area including the Hayward Skate Park on Huntwood, the Jack Holland Skate Park on East 14th Street, and the skate grounds at Cherryland Park on Grove Way.
“It’s frustrating how [Adobe] park hasn’t done a lot for the community despite how much locals go and skate there,” Singh said in his online petition. “There are only five obstacles in the park, and there is really nothing to do at the skate park. It doesn’t even feel like a skate park, it feels more of a DIY park.”
The current obstacles include two rails, a box, a platform with a ramp, and a short quarterpipe. The features are constructed mostly from metal making them a bit slicker and a culprit to many injuries, according to comments posted from skateboard enthusiasts who visit the park. A new design could be helpful to reduce injuries and allow for many skating activities and users, Singh hopes.
“All of the locals from the community are asking for a change for our second home to make it bigger, better placements for obstacles, more OBSTACLES, for our local skate park. I feel like this petition can really make a difference in bettering our community for our local skaters,” Singh said.
The skate park, formally known as Harry R. Francis Skate Park was dedicated in June 2015. Francis served on the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District (H.A.R.D.) Board of Directors from 1995 to 1996. He also served on the Greater Hayward Area Recreation and Park Foundation Board in 1988 and as Director of the Castro Valley Sanitary District board from 1997 until his death in 2012. Francis lobbied for the inclusion of the skate park in the 2009 renovation of Adobe Park.
The skatepark is managed by H.A.R.D. but the property is officially owned by the Castro Valley Unified School District. Improvements to the property would need to be authorized by CVUSD.
H.A.R.D. General Manager, Jim Wheeler, said he would be open to discussing with the skaters to see what types of improvements they would like to make.
“We are currently looking at a plan to develop a bike and skate park at the new La Vista Park on Tennyson Road east of Mission Boulevard and there could be elements there that could also be included in Castro Valley,” Wheeler told the Forum.
Unfortunately, the cost of converting the site from portable metal structures to a sunken concrete park design could cost as much as $1 million, Wheeler estimates. Still, he invites more public discussion on the issue.
H.A.R.D. is scheduled to hold its next meeting on April 18 at 6:30 at its offices on E Street in Hayward.