For most teenagers, a request made at city hall is forgotten by the time they graduate high school. For Chris Mardis, it took more than 12 years, but Alexandria finally delivered on a promise for a skatepark.
In 2013, two 13-year-olds asked the Alexandria council for a skatepark after being tired of getting kicked out of businesses and wanting a safe place to skate. One of them, Mardis, kept in touch with Schabell to ensure the ask was fulfilled.
In 2024, 11 years later, Alexandria Mayor Andy Schabell updated the city council that the city had finally purchased a skatepark. Now, two years later, it has finally been installed, keeping the promise Schabell made.
“First of the year, I sent them [Alexandria Parks and Recreation Board] a message and said, here’s one thing I’d like to do before I’m out of here and they got it done,” Schabell said.
At a city council meeting on Oct. 3 2024, Schabell said earlier in the week that Mardis had texted him that there was a skatepark for sale. Fort Thomas was selling its skatepark, for which they paid $30,000. The bid for the park ended Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, at 2 p.m.
Schabell said he sent an email at 8:47 p.m. that Monday after Mardis texted him. He said Fort Thomas was selling the park because it was no longer meeting the city’s needs.
The skatepark consists of two ramps and a rail. Schabell said he instructed the city administrator to bid up to $1,500 on the item. The city’s final bid was $1,025 ($1,300 after taxes and fees.)
The skatepark is in a temporary location in the Alexandria Community Park. Schabell said they had to take over some parking spaces which he didn’t love because of the lack of parking at the park, but it is temporary.
“It took a long time but I’m proud of it and I’m happy it’s there,” Schabell said. “He was there too [Mardis] a couple of those guys that came up here to those meetings, came up and cut the ribbon with us.”
The ribbon cutting was held on June 17 for the new skatepark. The city said it was one of its most well attended ribbon cuttings.
“After 12 years of advocating for this skatepark, seeing it finally open is surreal,” Mardis told LINK nky. “It’s a reminder that persistence pays off. This park will give generations of local kids a place to skate, connect, and belong, and that’s something our community can be proud of.”
