Plans for a new skatepark in New Meadows were approved on Monday by the New Meadows City Council.
The skatepark, dubbed Mehen Memorial Skatepark, will honor the memory of the park’s visionaries, Rory and Sara Mehen, who were shot and killed on Oct. 1, 2022, at the Hartland Inn.
Council members voted unanimously on Monday to approve the design of the skatepark, which will front Peterson Memorial Avenue and features about 7,800 square feet of concrete bowls, ramps, and rails.
New Meadows Mayor Julie Good expressed gratitude for everyone involved in the project in an emotional speech following the approval of the design.
“I know a couple people who are not here, who would just be so elated right now,” Good said.
Construction to start in spring
Construction of the skatepark is expected to begin this spring and will take about three months, said James Klinedinst of Grindline Skateparks, a Seattle company that has designed more than 400 skateparks worldwide, including Harshman Skatepark in McCall.
Grindline was awarded a $530,000 contract to design and build the skatepark last July by the council.
A donation campaign that has raised nearly $600,000 is funding the entire skatepark project. The Mehens had just started fundraising for the skatepark when they were killed.
The skatepark will be on land currently occupied by the Warren Brown Youth Park, named in honor of the founder of Brown’s Industries, which operated the Brown Tie & Lumber Company in McCall. Brown also helped establish Brundage Mountain Resort.
The skatepark is being developed in tandem with the New Meadows Youth Center. An existing pole barn that formerly served as the Adams County Recycle Center is being improved to create the youth center.
