KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – A group of BMX and skateboard riders, along with several parents and local officials, sat down on Wednesday evening to begin the work of designing the new Kelseyville skate and BMX park.
More than 20 people – including a fairly even split of boarders and bikers – took part in the meeting, held at Guido's Pizzeria in Kelseyville and hosted by Jeff Rein, deputy director of Lake County Public Services, the county department which will oversee the park.
“Tonight, it starts,” Rein said of the park's design work.
Some of that basic work included having participants fill out questionnaires and look over the layouts of other parks designed by Upland-based California Skateparks, hired by the county to design the park facility.
The county has dedicated $300,000 to creating the park, which will be located next to the spot currently being used as a temporary BMX riding area at the three-acre Kelseyville County Park at 5270 State St., Rein said.
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously last December to reallocate the funds that originally had been proposed for the development of a park in the Clear Lake Riviera to the skate and BMX park plan.
From that $300,000, Rein said the county has set aside a maximum of $45,000 to cover its contract with California Skateparks, one of the largest and most reputable skateboard and BMX park design firms.
Rein credited county Supervisor Rob Brown – who was not present for the meeting – for finding the funding for the park and making it a priority. “Tonight we start giving legs to Rob's vision.”
Much of the meeting was led by Jaxon Statzell, a designer with California Skateparks who also is a skateboarder.
“We want this park to feel like it's your park,” said Statzell.
“It's going to be 100-percent unique to Kelseyville. It really is in your hands,” Statzell added, encouraging the group to be honest – and to dream big – about the design elements they wanted to have included.
The Kelseyville skate and BMX park is set to be between 10,000 and 12,000 square feet, which Statzell called “pretty sizable,” especially considering that his company has done parks in New York City that are smaller and a park in Los Angeles that is the same size.
He said the Kelseyville park's proposed size allows enough space to cover all the bases when it comes to the variety of elements.
It's California Skateparks' responsibility, he added, to make sure the park will facilitate progression, and to come up with a design that's both welcoming to newcomers and stimulating for experienced riders.
Statzell also noted during the meeting that the $300,000 the county has set aside is “pretty much right where its should be” for the park's proposed size.
Design elements, lighting, terrain and fencing were among some of the topics that came up during the discussion.
Regarding fencing, Rein acknowledged pros and cons. “Our initial preference is that it be fenced but maybe there's reasons not to.”
Statzell said the design firm preferred no fencing. County Parks Superintendent Dana Smalley was concerned about safety it it wasn't fenced. Parent and park supporter Valarie Sullivan said she would like to see a perimeter bike and skateboard path rather than a fence.
Rein said the county wants the park to be designed and built in such a way that it could be expanded in the future.
“That would be awesome,” said one of the teens in the group.
Some of the features on the wish list include a curved wall and a half-pipe, according to comments made by the meeting participants.
“I want people to come from other places to ride our park,” said Zach Holt, one of the teens credited for his efforts to find another place to ride after local BMX riders were told they could no longer use a private property that they had used for many years.
Helping with the design effort were two young local men – Daniel Smith and RJ Hudson – who brought detailed sketches of their concepts of what the park should look like. Statzell took photos of the plans.
Statzell said he got a lot of awesome ideas, and the sketches will help with the design work.
Rein said the park's development schedule includes three months for design and three months to build. The county will be acting as its own general contractor but will be putting out requests for subcontractors.
Sullivan, who has been supporting the riders in their search for a permanent place, said of the park plan, “It's quite a vision.”
Sullivan invited anyone interested in the park to join the Kelseyville BMX Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/268740103187339/ , where updates on the park effort are posted regularly.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.