By Luke Keck
The City of Reno Parks Department held a community meeting earlier this week seeking input on a proposed skate park coming to Miguel Ribera Park, located off of Neil Road near the crossing of East Peckham Lane. The workshop featured a presentation from the future park’s designer (and founder of American Ramp Company, the group in charge of building the park), Nathan Bemo, complete with illustrations of potential layouts.
Groups of youth from the Boys and Girls Club of Truckee Meadows and the City of Reno’s Youth and Teens program from the area were invited to participate, with Bemo asking for direct input from each individual who attended the meeting about what ideas or improvements they had to add to the sketches presented.
“The sketches are just a starting point,” Bemo explained to the attendees, adding that “the whole point of this meeting [is finding out] what…you want to see at the park.”
The plans to build at Miguel Ribera Park will provide a huge benefit to the youth of the community according to Hayley McCargar, an employee at the City of Reno Sierra Kids and Teens program.
It’s important to keep kids active and out of trouble, McCargar said, saying that the skate park is a “great opportunity” to “get kids and families involved in a safe environment.”
Her coworker, Michael Arevalo feels the same way, agreeing that “a skate park at Miguel Ribera would improve the neighborhood” by getting kids outside and giving them better way to spend their time.
Jeff Mann, the parks manager for the city, is excited for the future of the park because “nobody in this neighborhood really has direct access to [a skate park].” Mann wants more opportunities for kids to enjoy themselves where they live, explaining that “we’re looking for something for kids to do to have fun and stay out of trouble.”
