Allentown Mayor Ray O’Connell, city, and state officials cut the ribbon this afternoon to open the city’s new Jordan Park Skatepark.

O’Connell was joined at the ceremony by Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources Recreation and Conservation Manager Lorne Possinger; Ellen Kern, chief of staff for State Senator Pat Browne; City Council Vice President Cynthia Mota and Councilperson Daryl Hendricks.

The ribbon cutting marks the completion of the first phase of the two-phase total $1.5 million project.

Approximately three years ago the city received a $300,000 matching grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) for this project.

O’Connell said, “I again thank the Wolf Administration and our state legislative delegation of Senator Pat Browne and Representatives Peter Schweyer and Mike Schlossberg for their assistance in securing those funds.”

The Tony Hawk Foundation, now known as The Skatepark Project, awarded the city a $10,000 grant for the skate park in 2019.

City Department of Parks & Recreation Director Karen El-Chaar said, “We are especially pleased and proud to add the Jordan Skatepark to our recreational offerings and welcome our residents, visitors and the entire skateboarding community to this state-of-the-art facility.”

Members of the local skateboarding community had a hand in the design of this project along with the Allentown Board of Recreation and members of the public.

The work included construction of an ADA accessible skate park, pedestrian walkways, stormwater management measures, landscaping, fencing, signage and other site improvements.

The skatepark is just one of the many improvements at Jordan Park.

Construction of the Jordan Creek Greenway Trail will begin shortly, linking downtown Allentown through Jordan Park to Whitehall, allowing individuals to walk and bike the trail from downtown Allentown to the Game Preserve and beyond.

This spring, through the auspices of Non-Toxic Neighborhoods, the city received an award of $25,000 from the GIANT Company and Stonyfield Organics to move towards more regenerative and organic maintenance of green spaces in Jordan Park.

Grindline Skateparks of Seattle, Washington created the design of the skatepark and Spohn Ranch, Inc. of Los Angeles built the park.
 

Information provided to TVL by:
Mike Moore
Communications Manager
Mayor’s Office
435 Hamilton Street
Allentown, PA 18101
Mike.Moore@allentownpa.gov
http://www.AllentownPA.gov

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