Public opinion sought on Jolie Crider Skate Park improvements

The Columbus Parks and Recreation Department wants your thoughts on improvements to the Jolie Crider Memorial Skate Park this evening.

A public input meeting will be held, starting at 5:30 p.m. tonight at the Hamilton Community Center and Ice Arena.

The parks department is going to be unveiling design concept plans for the skate park by Janne Saario, a renowned FInnish skate park designer. This will be his first skate park design in the United States. The wooden park was first opened in 1999 and is now in poor repair and won’t last another summer according to the Columbus Park Foundation.

The foundation is raising $385,000 toward renovations at the park, which will include concrete construction that should last for generations.

This month would have been skater Jolie Crider’s 35th birthday. She died in 1998 from meningitis.

For more information you can contact the parks department at (812) 376-2680.