Ponderosa Skatepark facts for kids
Ponderosa Skatepark is a fun public place in Bend, Oregon, where people can skateboard. It first opened in 2013. Before that, there was an older skatepark built in 1997. But it wasn't built very well and got used a lot, so it needed to be replaced. The new park is popular with both local skateboarders and visitors.
Building the Skatepark
The Bend Park & Recreation District helped pay for the new skatepark. They set aside about $360,000 for the project. A local group called PUSH (which stands for Promoting Urban Skate Habitats) also helped. They raised $40,000 through fundraising and by getting donations of materials or services instead of money (these are called in-kind donations).
A company called Spohn Ranch was chosen to build the park. They are known for building skateparks. Charlie Wilkins, a top designer from Spohn Ranch, met with local skateboarders. He held special meetings called focus groups to ask them what they wanted in the new park. They talked about the types of ramps, rails, and other features they liked. After a few months of planning, construction started in the summer of 2013. The new Ponderosa Skatepark was ready to open that fall.
What's Inside the Park?
The Ponderosa Skatepark is about 9,000 square foot (840 m2) big. It has many cool features for skateboarders, including:
- A half-pipe section, which is a U-shaped ramp.
- Several quarter pipe sections, which are like one side of a half-pipe.
- Two sets of stairs for tricks.
- Different wedges, hips, and ledges for grinding and sliding.
- Grind rails and ledges for sliding along.
- A radius wave and pump bumps to help skaters keep their speed.
- Restrooms, picnic shelters, and other helpful things are also close to the skatepark.
