Village to host grand opening of new skate and bike park

COXSACKIE―It’s only been open for about a month, but already the hiss, rasp and clickety-clack of wheels on pavement have become daily sounds at the Village of Coxsackie’s new skate and bike park.

Located within McQuade Park, the new area has been a long time coming.

“I always remember people saying that there was nothing for the kids to do around here,” said Mayor Mark Evans. “It killed me.”

Over the years, Evans has made it a priority to solve that problem with investments in playgrounds and the ballfield. So, when the opportunity presented itself to bring in some ramps and rails, it was an easy decision.

“We had always designated that section as a skate park,” said Evans, referring to the paved area next to the basketball court.

The idea dates back 17 years and came from former Police Chief Donald Meier.

Fast forward to 2024 when Village Water Superintendent Chris Gallagher, whose son competes in BMX racing, approached Evans about some equipment that was available.

“New, this stuff would be about $100,000,” Evans said, noting that the Village couldn’t spent that kind of money.

But he agreed to talk to the seller, who much to Evans’ surprise, said he would take $5,000.

“He said he wanted it to go somewhere it was going to get used,” Evans said.

There was only one small challenge. The equipment was in storage more than 1,500 miles away―in South Dakota.

As it turned out, Borwegen Trucking in Greenville regularly sent a truck out to The Mount Rushmore State every few weeks and was willing to bring the equipment back for a small cost.

“The equipment required some work to make it ready for use, as did some reworking of the surface area at McQuade, which caused some delay,” explained Evans, noting that Precision Roads of Ravena repaved the area at a discounted rate.

Ultimately, the costs were covered using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money through a $15,000 grant from Greene County.

“There are kids here now all the time,” said Evans.

The park is open from 8 a.m. to dusk for anyone on skateboards, bikes or scooters. No electronic or motorized rides are allowed and helmets, knee and elbow pads must be worn at all times.

This Saturday, July 18, the Village will hold a grand opening celebration for the new park that will be named in honor of Meier. It runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a ribbon cutting  at 10:30 a.m. There will also be demonstrations, giveaways for kids, prizes and more.