03-05-2025
Bristol secures $1 million for new skate park
BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) – Skaters in Bristol will soon have a new place to go as the city secured $1 million in state funding for a new skate park.
Representative John Crawford played an integral part in securing the funding. He released a statement Friday announcing the investment marks a step forward in the city's efforts to enhance youth recreational opportunities.
'I'm proud to help deliver this critical investment for our community,' Crawford said. 'Thenew skate park will offer a safe, modern space for recreation and improve the quality oflife in Bristol.'
Rep. John Crawford, (R) Bristol
Bristol Parks and Recreation director Mike Mains said he appreciates representatives working to improve the region.
'We're very blessed to have such great support from the state of Tennessee and Senator Crawford, and him pushing this project for us and then all of our state representatives, really, Mr. Harshbarger too,' Mains said. 'So, for the city, it's a big win. And we've had several of those as of late, getting ready to build a new baseball stadium for our high school team and then also the state liners of the Appalachian League. So things are moving along really well, very happy that things are working out the way they are.'
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Timmy Carrick, a native of Bristol, said he has always had to travel to find a good skate park.
'There not being a lot of skate parks around here, when they built the new one in Kingsport, I was traveling to it and it was pretty rad,' Carrick said. 'But, I think it would really be nice not having to travel 30 minutes just to go skate at a nice park.
'I think it's really going to draw a lot of attention and really bring the community together.'
Mains said the skateboarding community has pushed for a new park for years and has had to be patient.
'Their patience through this process, along with the support we've had from City Council, has been unbelievable,' Mains said. 'And that's the key thing is when you look at your local government officials here locally, such as our council and our city manager, it is to see how much they support recreation. Our community is a wonderful thing. Because it's all about the quality of life for our citizens.'
He hopes it will benefit not only Bristol but the region as a whole.
'We see this as a destination. But first and foremost, we want to serve our citizens,' Mains said. 'But next is, you know, regionally, you know, we hope people will come to our community, spend some dollars here, go to our restaurants, go to downtown, enjoy the music atmosphere that we have. And so when you combine recreation with that, it's a great win for your local economy. And that's really going to pay off for us.'
Mains told News Channel 11 the city hasn't settled on an exact location but will reach out to the community about the best place for the park and what they would like to see in it.
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