Ruston’s proposed skatepark at the abandoned municipal pool on Alabama Street took a major step forward Monday night as the City Council voted unanimously to hire Newline Skateparks to be the design development firm for the project.
“We’re very excited to reach this important point in the process,” said Tom Futrell, president of Friends of Ruston Skatepark. “Newline Skateparks is one of the country’s premier design firms, and our project leader will be Kanten Russell, a former professional skateboarder and the top park designer in the business. We’re very fortunate to have this team on board, and we look forward to completing the design phase in November and breaking ground shortly thereafter.”
Following a 12-year career as a professional skateboarder at the international level, Russell turned his passion toward skatepark design 15 years ago and has since led the design and build process for more than 300 skateparks across America. He is well-known for his creative and innovative designs, and takes particular enjoyment in “seeing the community you formed a relationship with during the design and build process use the park that you helped them create in ways you never imagined.”
As part of a public-private partnership, Friends of Ruston Skatepark also recently signed an agreement with the City of Ruston to contribute the $250,000 they have raised for the skatepark design and construction over the past two years to the city. The City of Ruston, with some state funding included, will contribute up to the remaining $500,000 to complete the project, and will own and operate the completed facility.
“This is a great project for our city,” said Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker. “It’s a perfect use for our old, abandoned pool, it will provide another type of sports facility in our community, and it has the potential to become an economic engine.”
Local artist and Louisiana Tech professor Joey Slaughter, who led the public fundraising effort for the skatepark, noted that it will be the newest professional skatepark in northern Louisiana.
“This park will be innovative and challenging enough to hold competitions and we fully expect that, in addition to the local skating community, skaters from Texas to Mississippi will want to come experience and compete in the latest Newline/Kanten Russell-designed park,” Slaughter said.
The completed Skatepark of Ruston will have street and park sections, designed to provide everyone from beginners to advanced skaters with appropriate challenges. The idea of creating a professional skatepark in Ruston goes back to 2016 when guest artist and professional skateboarder Brian Lotti visited the Louisiana Tech School of Design and teamed up with Tech architecture professor Miguel Lasala. The two approached Mayor Walker, who liked the idea, and thought of the abandoned pool site.
“The site is ideal – it’s near downtown and the Farmer’s Market, across the street from the Boys and Girls Club, and it will provide a safe place for kids of all ages to skate and be part of a sports community,” Walker said. “Under this public-private partnership, we’re going to convert an eyesore into a productive city resource.”
