Hudson opens renovated, enlarged skate park at Veterans Way Park

by John Benson 

Hudson’s investment in the skate park is indicative of the times. No one understands this better than former skateboarder and current Hudson Assistant Director of Public Works Trent Wash. 

“I grew up in Lorain County back in the late ‘70s when they built a concrete skate park in Elyria,” Wash said. “It didn’t last long – three or four years. I guess there wasn’t enough interest for people to pay to go to it. While it just didn’t take back then, it took 30 to 40 years to get to this point.”

This point in Hudson marks the opening of the newly renovated 10,000-square-foot skate park at Veterans Way Park. The $375,000 project, which was completed by Grindline Concrete Skatepark Design and Construction, was designed with input from local and regional skaters. 

This led to the decision to enlarge the site’s footprint by 2,500 square feet for safety and improved functionality.

“The old park was about 15 years old,” Wash said. “It was above ground with wooden structures that had rotted away. They were in disrepair and dangerous. So the decision was made to replace them. The new skate park is all concrete and steel.

“The goal was to build something that had the features users wanted. A bunch of skaters talked to both the park board and city council on the first design, which was very cluttered. So, we stretched things out and spaced things differently. There’s a combination of what they call street – like steps and handrails – and  bowls and walls where people can come off that handle all kinds of tricks.” 

Construction began in the spring and was recently completed. The skate park was paid for out of donations and money from the city’s park fund. No general fund dollars were used for the improvements. 

Also, Vans Shoe Company stepped up with a $50,000 donation for the project. Wash said the plan is to put up plaque acknowledging their contribution at the site. 

“From what we found out talking to people who used it, it’s only been open for 10 days now, they’re loving it,” Wash said. “They’re saying it was built right and it was built to flow, so you can come at things from different angles and almost skate the park circularly.

“People can be out there at the same time, and it accommodates a lot more skaters than the old park. The new park was built to handle very, very beginners and very advanced. So you can get both action for new kids, young skaters and then people who are experienced.” 

Wash credits Hudson City Council for having the foresight to see the importance of the skate park in the community.

“It was good on city council’s part to look at this as another avenue for things for people to have to do,” Wash said. “One councilmember said, ‘You’ve got to look at this differently. This sport doesn’t involve a ball, but there’s a large population of kids who want this and welcome it. I think it’s a good thing.’” 

In fact, it’s Wash’s opinion that had the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo not been cancelled due to the pandemic, skateboarding, which was being added as a competitive sport, would have taken off in popularity.

“Next time around I think that will give a huge boost to the sport and more interest by a lot of people,” said Wash, who noted, despite any inkling of giving the new Skate Park a run, he’ll have to sit this one out. “I watch what these kids are doing, and it’s pretty amazing. When I was a teenager, I would have loved the skate park, but, look, I’m 55. I’m thinking I’m not recovering very fast.” 

Feature image photo caption: Young skaters practice their boarding skills at Hudson’s refurbished skate park on Veterans Way. Photo by J. Stringer