Building of new skate park begins in city

The first shipment of metal has been delivered and fabrication has started on the new skate park in Eastlake.

But, it’s not industry experts who are doing the work. It’s the students in the Northern Career Institute Willoughby and North High School.

When the city sought to find a way to replace the skate park it demolished for safety reasons in 2016, it turned to Excel TECC students at Mayfield Innovation Center for the design and then to the students at NCI for construction.

This resulted in an award-winning design for the skate park which is expected to be completed in the spring.

Three of the design students competed in Columbus at the Ohio SkillsUSA Championship, where they earned a bronze medal for their project in the Industrial & Engineering Career Pathways Showcase Competition for the skate park design.

“I think one of the big things in education that you hear so much is the phrase authentic learning,” said Excel-TECC Director Nate Bishko. “We got to give Eastlake’s Service Department began laying new asphalt at the Eastlake Skate Park on Oct. 18.

them authentic learning experiences. I can’t think of a more authentic learning experience than what are CADD students are getting with this.”

The CADD students from Excel TECC visited other skate parks and did research on what would best work within the parameters laid out by the city. Then they created drawings and renderings for fabrication and placement of the structures

in the park.

The students assembled a full set of drawings and diagrams and presented their design to Eastlake’s City Council.

Eastlake Councilman Dave Spotton said he thinks the collaboration between the city and the schools is a great idea and is working out well.

“Excel-TECC had the Auto CADD and Solid Works program,” Spotton said.

“They used it for a yearlong project, designed the park and got second place in statewide competition. The welding kids are using it for their school project to fabricate the structures. It’s win-win. The kids take ownership of it, they are designing it, they build it, they use it.”

The new skate park will be built at the Eastlake Community Center, the same location as the previous one.

The fencing around the park has been taken down and the Eastlake Service department started laying new asphalt on Oct. 18.

The goal is to have the structures set down just before school is out and have a big grand opening in the spring time, Spotton said.

KRISTI GARABRANDT — THE NEWS-HERALD

KRISTI GARABRANDT — THE NEWS-HERALD The new skate park plans were presented at SkillsUSA and to Eastlake City Council and by some of the Excel-TECC students who designed the park.