Kyle residents can look forward to the potential development of a 34,000-square-foot skatepark in the near future.

After reviewing schematic designs at their Jan. 21 meeting, Kyle City Council directed SPA Skateparks to continue designing a skatepark at Gregg-Clarke Park.The overview

After reviewing three options, the council recommended a design contract with SPA Skateparks for an all-wheels skatepark, featuring a pump track, flow bowl and skate plaza.

Individuals with various skill levels and different types of wheels can use the pump track. The surface may vary, with options including a soft surface, concrete or asphalt.

The all-wheels approach will allow use by skateboarders, scooter riders, cyclists and wheelchair users, according to the City Council presentation.

“When I first saw all-wheels, I was thinking about the bikes ... the skateboards ... the scooters—I never even fathomed about wheelchairs,” council member Robert Rizo said. “I mean giving everybody the opportunity should be what we do as a city, so it’s really important that we think of everyone when we’re thinking about our parks and our projects. Making sure that those that are bound to a wheelchair can participate and will be able to use this is really amazing.”

The proposed skatepark will be 28,000 to 34,000 square feet. The square footage of each project in the skatepark includes:

• Skate plaza zone: 12,000 to 14,000 square feet
• Flow bowl zone: 6,000 to 8,000 square feet
• Pump track: 10,000 to 12,000 square feet

The project includes eliminating the existing tennis court, which according to the presentation, requires repair.The total cost of this option is estimated at $3.4 million, with $3.1 million allocated for construction and $325,500 for design fees. The project will be funded in part by a 2020 bond and available Capital Improvement Plan funds.

The City Council presentation also describes the process of the project. The phases include:

• Phase 1: Execute the contract to provide two schematic options with cost estimates.
• Phase 2: Pending direction, execute the contract for design development to consider the final render for adoption.
• Phase 3: Pending approval of final render, execute contract to finalize construction plans and construction.

Phase 1 was completed at the Jan. 21 council meeting.

Digging deeper

If approved, the skatepark will become the fifth-largest in Texas, according to the City Council presentation.

Additionally, Kyle's skatepark will be one of only five in Texas to feature an all-wheels approach with an integrated pump track.

The background

In November 2020, Kyle residents approved a $1 million park bond for Gregg-Clarke Park. The City Council later approved a $1 million interlocal agreement with Hays County to match the bond funding, according to the City Council presentation.

SPA Skateparks was awarded a contract in February 2023, and early site work was set to begin in May 2024. The project was paused the following month, and the contract was terminated to allow new leadership to assess the project. A new construction contract with SPA was approved in September 2024.

After the initial design was presented at the Oct. 15 City Council meeting, council requested additional project enhancements, including lighting, site furnishings, shade, and skate features such as bowls and pump tracks.

The original design was roughly 9,000 square feet, with an estimated construction cost of $1 million.

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