Dec. 06--A 3-acre skateboard park on the city's front lawn is set to open Saturday, park officials said.
The $2.65 million, long-awaited section in Grant Park is also designed for riders of BMX bikes, inline skates and any other nonmotorized wheels. It's a bigger and more accommodating space than the park's current skate area, northeast of the new facility, and features more than a dozen ramps, stairs and rails for extreme athletes, as well as viewing areas and 90 new trees surrounding it, said Bob O'Neill, Grant Park Conservancy and Advisory Council president.
"The idea is to get people out exercising, energizing the park," O'Neill said.
A celebration for the opening is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at the skateboard park, which is near Michigan Avenue and the 11th Street pedestrian bridge, O'Neill said.
The park, built largely with city funds, is the result of a collaborative effort between the park district and the conservancy, which met with skaters and people who live nearby. One of its architects from Altamanu Inc. is a skateboarder, O'Neill said.
"It's a way for a lot of people to come together and interact," O'Neill said.
The Advisory Council also is planning to start private fundraising for what O'Neill called "skateable" public art sculptures to supplement the other features.
O'Neill said Friday he realizes December is not exactly the "ideal" time to open a new outdoor park in Chicago, but Saturday's forecast -- in the mid-30s with partial sun -- is a lucky break. And if the overeager skaters, who O'Neill said have been sneaking into the park late at night are any indication, people are ready for the new venue.
"It's a real testament to how badly they want to use it," O'Neill said.
The Saturday event is a soft opening for the new skate area, officials said. The park district is planning a grand opening event for another date.
mmanchir@tribune.com
