- Padre Island "Stoke Brokers" advocating to get a skate park in Commodores Park on the Island
- Corpus Christi City Council is responding
- More work still needs to be done regarding funding
The Padre Island "Stoke Brokers" have been advocating to bring a skate park onto Padre Island since April. This group of kids and parents have been speaking up at city council meetings and Island Strategic Action Committee (ISAC) meetings. Corpus Christi City Council is listening to their desire for a skate park on the Island.
“A skate park has been added to the master plan. Again, the master plan for Commodores Park is very preliminary. But it at least tells us that the city is listening, and they see that there in fact can be room for a skate park on Commodores Park for North Padre Island. So, that’s exciting. You know, we have some more work to do to continue to advocate for it," Cheryl Segrest, the leader of the Stoke Brokers, said.
The city councilman for District 4, Dan Suckley, said that the city council has accounted for an area of the Commodores Park property to be a potential future location for a skate park amenity. It is predicted to be included in phase 3b of the Commodores Park update plans.
“Speaking up to the city councilmen and stuff and seeing how they can take it into consideration is great," 6th-grade skateboarder Cole Segrest said.
While hopes for a skate park are high, there is still additional work to be done.
“A group of us, the stoke brokers, are going to be meeting to try to get a detailed proposal complete for the city to review once that time comes. But, we’re just excited that we seem to have good community support, support from the city, Parks and Rec, and ISAC. You know, our voice is being heard," Cheryl Segrest said.
Resources for funding of the skate park still need to be considered. There is a possibility that it will be put on the bond 2024 vote. The Stoke Brokers are tirelessly working to see what funding sources are available.
One main reason that the Stoke Brokers are so passionate about bringing a skate park to the Island is safety.
“It would be way safer. So, us, and our friends, we could just ride our bikes there with our skateboards and our backpack and stuff. And there’s a bike lane. We don’t have to go on the street and our parents don’t have to take us all the way to Port A or in town to skate," Cole Segrest said.
The potential skate park would be an addition, not a replacement for, other proposed amenities in the Commodores Park plan, such as pickleball courts.
“It feels great. It feels like we’ve done something that actually worked," Cole Segrest said.
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