Skating Upgrades Coming to Adobe Park
Sketches courtesy of H.A.R.D.
Adobe Park’s skating area is expected to get a facelift early next year as part of Hayward Area Recreation and Park District's (H.A.R.D.) plan to renovate its four above-ground skate parks.
At its meeting this month, H.A.R.D.’s Board of Directors reviewed a plan to spend $266,081.33 to cover the revitalization of Cherryland Park, Adobe Park, Mervin Morris Park, and Stratford Village Park.
“The skate park equipment at these locations has reached the end of its service life due to extensive wear and tear, making replacements essential,” H.A.R.D. board member Peter Rosen said.
The current obstacles at Adobe include two rails, a box, a platform with a ramp, and a short quarter pipe. According to comments posted by skateboard enthusiasts who visit the park, the features are mostly metal, making them a bit slicker and causing many injuries.
The new designs include replacing the existing features with brand-new materials, including an improved quarter pipe design, a better grind ledge and grind boxes, a skate bench, bank ramps, and a pyramid structure.
The upgraded materials are designed to require less frequent repairs and replacements, resulting in lower maintenance costs. The modular design also supports easier graffiti removal, H.A.R.D. said.
The district collaborated with the American Ramp Company, a well-known skate park design and renovation firm, to develop updated facility layouts for each site. The board will consider these at one of its meetings next month.
The skate park, formerly 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 and on the Greater Hayward Area Recreation and Park Foundation Board in 1988. Francis lobbied for the skate park's inclusion in the 2009 renovation of Adobe Park.
H.A.R.D. manages the skatepark, but the Castro Valley Unified School District officially owns the property.
Community members are encouraged to stay engaged with project updates as the Board evaluates the proposal. The proposal promises a safe, vibrant environment for skaters and contributes to H.A.R.D.’s mission of supporting active, healthy lifestyles in the community.