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April 20, 2006
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Action Park Work Expected in Summer

Action Park work expected in summer

Thursday, April 20, 2006

By Mary Niederberger, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Those who like to experience dips, bumps and bowls when they skate, skateboard or ride their bikes will be happy to hear that work is expected to begin this summer on the long-awaited Action Park in South Park.

Allegheny County Public Works Director Tom Donatelli said the county would advertise for bids on the project at the beginning of May and that construction should start by the middle of July.

If all goes as scheduled, the $1.2 million park will be finished by the end of the year.

"Everything is zooming forward finally," said county Councilman Vince Gastgeb, of Bethel Park, who has long lobbied for a "3B" park for skateboarders, in-line skaters and bicyclists in South Park.

Though it has taken several years to get the project off the ground, Mr. Gastgeb said, "the interest and enthusiasm has never diminished" among those who expressed interest in such a facility.

The design of the park is the same as the one presented at a public hearing in November 2004.

But the location has been changed since then from the asphalt lot on Corrigan Drive near the dek hockey rink to an area next to the BMX track on East Park Drive.

Mr. Donatelli said the move was necessary because the location on Corrigan Drive is in a flood plain where the waters from a nearby creek often overflow and because there is too much traffic and not enough parking nearby.

The parking lot at the BMX track will be expanded to accommodate those using the action park, Mr. Donatelli said.

"It seemed like a nice complement to put the skate park there. That way, two extreme sports are next to each other," Mr. Gastgeb said.

The park will be built with three sections: one each for beginner, intermediate and advanced users. Equipment in the beginner section will be smaller and the pieces will have more space in between.

Equipment will be bigger and be placed closer together in the intermediate and advanced areas, with an eight-foot-deep bowl for stunts in the advanced area.

The park design calls for seating areas for observers and a covered pavilion at the park's entrance where gear can be stored.

There will be no charge for using the park, and skaters, boarders and bikers will use it at their own risk.

There will be no supervision by county employees.

The park is expected to accommodate 30 to 60 users at one time.

A similar park is under construction at Boyce Park and one is planned for North Park.

The average cost of the parks is about $750,000 each, but the South Park action park will cost more because of the earth moving that will be required at the BMX site, Mr. Donatelli said. The money for the project came from county and Regional Asset District funds.

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