Troy Could Get a New Skatepark Underneath a Downtown Landmark

Lace up your Vans and crank up the ska: Troy could be the newest Capital Region city to get a skatepark.

Currently, Trojans have to head outside of town to hit the pools, snake runs and stairsets. Saratoga Springs announced plans last year to renovate the aged, run-down Saratoga Skatepark, New York State’s first municipal skatepark, located in the East Side Recreational Park.

Most skaters prefer the nicer facilities of The Albany Bluebanks, located in Washington Park, or the Clifton Park Action Park, which is impossibly perfect substituted into Silent Night, Holy Night.

While an overall great move for Troy in fostering a new downtown community, this does greatly raise the danger of becoming the latest in a long line of people not quite recognizing Tony Hawk.

So where would The Collar City put its first skatepark? Underneath, of all places, The Collar City Bridge.

At the intersection of Hoosick and 1^st, The Troy Skatepark would be the second park in New York designed by Grindline Skatepark, with the first located just outside of Buffalo, but the company has experience in building halfpipes from Hawaii to Israel. The development promises inclusive features for all skill levels, and welcomes BMX bikes, skateboards, and scooters.

A public meeting is scheduled at 6p on Wednesday, May 18^th where Grindline will lay out their plans for the concrete design, also featuring water fountains, benches, and shade structures. It will be interesting to see what addition shade structures they have in mind, when technically The Collar City Bridge itself would be one huge shade structure in this case. The meeting will be held at the River Street Market, which just celebrated the opening of three new vendors this week.

With any luck, soon you can be a Pro Skater 2, er, too.