HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Ground has been broken on a new skating rink at Stoner Park in north Huntsville, bringing the promise of new recreation for the community one step closer to reality.
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle says the project is another milestone in the City’s commitment to providing more places to play for all Huntsville residents.
“Over the past decade, we’ve worked hard to expand recreational opportunities across our city and the Stoner Park Skating Rink is a testament to that dedication,” he said. “This new and exciting venue will be cherished by families and skating enthusiasts for years to come.”
Alex Sellers of Skate Nation says the group was founded in 2010 with the goal of getting more people skating in the city. "So this was a project a couple of years ago that me and the other skaters behind me, we came together. We said, you know, what are we missing in Huntsville to really take skating to the next level?"
The answer? This new skate park. According to Sellers, "We said, 'All right, we don't have an outdoor skating rink. Larger cities have it, and we see how their skating cultures are thriving.' So we came together, met with Councilman KeIth, pitched the idea, and we were surprised. They said, 'Yeah!'"
District 1 Councilman Devyn Keith was quick to give credit to those involved with the plan. "I promise my best ideas come from somebody yelling at me, somebody complaining to me and somebody showing up at a city council meeting or a town hall."
What can people expect at Stoner Park? Keith says, "So approximately 19,000 square feet of open air pavilion, public space here. Some of these amenities will include, you know, restrooms, picnic facilities. We're going to have to do things to ensure the ease of access in and out. Going to have some rails around here to keep it from just going off the rails, so to speak.
City administrator John Hamilton shares how the community input helped with design. "Both Alex and Smoke played a really important part in making sure that we understand exactly what it was. They did it the way they use it, what the opportunities were and that positive engagement, that collaboration between the city staff, our design team and the community is what we're about to break ground on."
"This project is the result of collaboration between passionate local residents and City officials," Keith said. "It reflects our commitment to enhancing recreational infrastructure that meets the diverse desires of our residents."