RECREATION
Adventure park plans moving forward
Swooping, soaring, dipping and roaring around
BY SUSAN BURGESS
curves, over hills and flying through the air — sound
like something you’d love to do? Well, get ready
because those are the sights and sounds of the new
adventure park coming your way in Port St. Lucie.
Three years after the city bought nearly 39 acres on SW
Cameo Boulevard north of Crosstown Parkway, the park’s
design is underway. In July, design consultants presented
residents with some ideas for park features and collected
their suggestions to create a draft concept.
Several concepts go to the city council at the end of September
for discussion, and will be followed by another meeting
with residents to gather opinions. The consultants, Stantec
Consulting Services, will make design adjustments and go
back to the council.
The September meeting depends on completion of a virtual
tour of other comparable parks to be presented to the board
requests, project manager Kelly Boatwright said.
Eric Walsh is one guy who can’t wait. A Port St. Lucie
resident, he has been skateboarding for years and wants to get
back to his BMX bike. He also rides a mountain bike, and says
he’s interested in the knobby-tired dirt bikes. When the park
opens, he plans to start off on his skateboard and BMX. BMX
stands for bicycle motocross. It can be raced or used to do
tricks such as spins, hops and jumps. It doesn’t have a motor.
“I never thought they’d build a park like this,” he said.
“I’m probably the most excited guy in the city.”
He suggested that consultants include a medium half-pipe
for skateboard enthusiasts. These look like a pipe with the
top half sliced off. Tricksters ride up and down the steep
walls. Those who have watched Shaun White in the winter
Olympics snowboarding competition know what a half-pipe
looks like.
“I’d also like a zip line, a ropes challenge course, and rock
climbing wall,” he said. “That would be great.”
Walsh is not the only one with high hopes for some of these
features. At the July 9 meeting with Stantec, the top-ranked
requests were: mountain biking, ropes course and zip lines,
artificial wave pool, BMX/pump track and skate boarding.
Other elements under consideration are rock climbing, ninja
warrior courses, running and walking trails, a playground,
barbecue picnic areas and food trucks.
After the design is completed, the features will be prioritized
and work will be divided into two phases. The city
plans to advertise for a construction company this winter.
Once a contractor is chosen, work can begin. Funding for the
first phase, $1.78 million, has been approved by the council.
Another $2 million is proposed for the second phase in
2021-2022. Funding would come from the Parks Impact Fee
Capital Improvement Projects budget. >>
Port St. Lucie Magazine 29
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