TOWN OF CHATHAM ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR SKATE PARK

Thanks to a grant received recently from the Ellsworth Kelly Foundation, the Crellin Park Foundation, Inc. and the Town of Chatham, will begin the process of developing a plan for a skate park to be constructed at Crellin Community Park. The $50,000 grant was made on behalf of the Crellin Park Foundation to the Town toward construction of the skate park

Based on surveys sent out to residents of the Town of Chatham, a skate park was near the top of the list of needs for recreation for youth in this area. Most of the youth who skate in Chatham travel many miles to find skate parks. According to Shari Franks, Recreation Director for the Town of Chatham, “This extremely generous contribution gives us a good start to our fundraising campaign for the park. The Town has realized for a long time that we need a safe place for our residents, particularly our youth, to skate within. We are very thankful to the Ellsworth Kelly Foundation for their support.”

The Ellsworth Kelly Foundation is a New York not-for-profit 501(c) 3 corporation founded in 1991. The Foundation is headquartered in Columbia County, New York, where approximately half of its annual distribution of grants occur, working with local community organizations to enrich the lives of its citizens and the people of New York State. The Crellin Park Foundation exists to support the programs of the Town of Chatham as well as the Park System Master Plan through fundraising and grant writing.

With the help of Barton & Loguidice, P.C., the Town of Chatham created a master plan for Crellin Park during the time that the Chatham Comprehensive Plan was in the process of development. The skate park is only a portion of the first phase to the Crellin Park Master Plan. Other items to be addressed in the first phase include a new pavilion near the pond, reconstruction of the main soccer field, a water filtration system for the swimming pond, an expanded beach area and improved walkways entering into the park.

A skate park committee has been formed by local youth and adults. The committee will meet on Wednesday evenings beginning on May 7 at 6:30 PM at the pond pavilion at Crellin Park. Shari Franks asks that anyone (youth or adult) who is interested in helping with the skate park in any way: fundraising, planning, and design, to please attend these meetings. Community input is important and necessary to create a park that will meet the needs of our community. Shari Franks may be reached by calling the Recreation Department at 392-0337 or email recdirector1231@fairpoint.net .