Lynndale Washington Skatepark

Lynndale Skatepark – Lynnwood WA.

(See the Skatepark Listing Here)

Hi! I’m the Park Planner for the City of Lynnwood. I found your
website and thought I’d give you more info on the Lynndale Skatepark in
Lynnwood, WA. The following is from a presentation to the Washington
Recreation and Parks Association who gave the skate park an Outstanding
Facility award. Some pictures are attached and I’ve included directions
at the end.

The Cities of Lynnwood and Edmonds collaborated for 6 years to build
this skate park, in response to a need expressed by skaters who were
frustrated by local skateboarding restrictions. In 1993, local skaters
began lobbying the Cities for a place to skate legally. Community
leaders supported the Washington State Legislature statute listing
“skateboarding” under the Recreational Immunity Act. Both Cities
committed to the project and contributed equal funds to develop it – and
a site was found in Lynnwood’s 40-acre community park, Lynndale Park.
MacLeod Reckord Landscape Architects from Seattle was contracted to
design the park. We also had the expertise of a professional skater,
Scott Yamamura, and an advisory panel of local skaters. The goal was to
design a park that would be challenging and fun for both beginning and
experienced skaters. Construction began in the summer of 1999. The most
difficult part of the project was keeping anxious skaters off the
surface during construction. They hung out with their boards on the
perimeter of the construction site, eagerly observing the progress.

This is an outdoor facility and constructed entirely of concrete for the
most durability and least maintenance. MacLeod Reckord worked with the
Contractor, Precision Earthworks in Lynnwood, to ensure that all the
seams and transitions were flat and smooth, and the edges were
reinforced with angle irons and steel coping. The completed, almost
5,000 square foot Skate Park has a 6′ deep bowl, a snake run, a quarter
pipe, banks, hips, ledges, rails and curbs – all of which were suggested
and approved by the team of local skaters. The total cost of
construction was approximately $110,000.

The Skate Park also includes a public art project that was funded by
both Cities – three sets of sculptural railings. The artists are Gail
Simpson and Aristotle Georgiades, and the design concept is “Fluid
Motion”. The wavy and bouncy lines of the railings mimic the abstract
patterns of the motion made by the skates, frisbees and bouncing balls.
They add a whimsical touch to the park, and also provide support for
skaters waiting their turn to skate. And they have proven durable
enough to withstand the impact of skaters hitting against and vaulting
over them.

Opening day was on September 24, 1999. The same skater who six years
earlier had initiated the approach to the Cities, was given the honor of
breaking the ribbon held by both Mayors. He whipped through on his
in-line skates. Following the ceremony, hundreds of kids who waited so
patiently flooded onto the surface.

The Skate Park continues to be extremely popular and heavily used.
Early involvement in the design of the park created a sense of ownership
for the skaters. They encourage each other to follow the rules they
helped create and they continue to help maintain the skating surface.
There have been a few maintenance issues – we will be extending the size
of the landing zone and replacing some of the landscaping around the
edges. But to our knowledge there have been no serious accidents and
the skate park has remained almost graffiti-free.

In summary – the project was 6 years in coming, but the partnership
between the 2 cities and the local youth, symbolized how we can work
together as a team, and enhance the quality of life for everyone.

Directions: North (of Seattle) on Interstate 5 to Exit 181; north on 44th Ave W;
west on 188th St SW; across Hwy 99; north on Blue Ridge Drive; west on
Olympic View Drive to Lynndale Park north entrance.

– Laurie Cowan

Parks Planner

City of Lynnwood

PO Box 5008

Lynnwood, WA 98046-5008