Missouri City City Council members approved a $57,450 contract July 17 with Austin-based SPA Skateparks for design work on a skate park to be located in the city.

The contract includes site selection, engineering, design, surveying, bid and construction management, according to meeting documents.

The new skate park will likely be built in an existing park to take advantage of pre-existing amenities, such as bathrooms and parking lots, said Jason Mangum, parks and recreation director.

“These (skate parks) are not a fad or a trend,” Mangum told the City Council. “Their use continues to go up. Houston is a hotbed of skaters.

“It’s not just youths that skate. It’s cool when you go to a park and you see young kids and adults interacting together.”