Proposed Glencoe Park Amenity Could Skate Into The 2024 Bond Package 

A $500,000 skate park in the Glencoe Park neighborhood could appear on the 2024 bond election ballot, and strong opinions about the project have been fired from both sides of the issue. 

The big issue? The proposed Glencoe Skate Park is in the middle of a residential neighborhood. 

A large pro-skate community exists in Dallas, and there is only one existing skate park in the city, with another set to open in 2024 at Bachman Lake and a third under construction in Oak Cliff. Houston has eight, Austin has three, and Los Angeles has a whopping 31 skate parks.

Residents have said they’re worried about increased noise and traffic. District 14 Park and Recreation Board member Rudy Karimi said misinformation has spread that the planned skate park is a “giant amenity that will take over the park.” And then there’s the buzz about “the skater stereotype,” which could point to drug activity and graffiti. 

Karimi told CandysDirt.com he supports the project but he’s not looking to change anyone’s mind. 

“The major concerns are coming from the immediate neighbors,” he said. “The legitimate concerns are noise and traffic. Skate parks are actually quieter than pickleball. As for traffic, teenagers might get dropped off or they might skate in or ride in from a nearby neighborhood, or they might come in from North Dallas or South Dallas on the [Dallas Area Rapid Transit] rail.”

Noise and traffic are rational concerns, Karimi said. Concerns rooted in the fear of the unknown are not rational, he added. 

“There’s nothing out there that says a skate park brings crime or a skate park will lower your property value,” Karimi said. 

The Glencoe proposal calls for a 7,000-square-foot structure in a 14-acre park. Maintenance costs are significantly less than that of a soccer or baseball field, Karimi said. 

“It’s an extension of the playground,” he said. “This isn’t Tony Hawk’s Dream World.” 

Opposition to Glencoe Skate Park 

Dallas resident Molly Jambor said she doesn’t think people are opposed to skate parks in general but questioned whether other sites were evaluated. 

“It’s the location itself that is facing the opposition,” Jambor wrote on social media. “What other sites were explored in addition to Glencoe and was a Plan B also proposed? Shouldn’t there be a win-win where the city gets a needed amenity AND the surrounding neighbors express a consensus of support?” 

Karimi says the next skate park does not have to be at Glencoe Park but there’s a good reason why that site is being explored. 

“It’s right smack in the middle of Dallas and it serves a very dense population,” he said. “There are two trails. It’s near the DART rail. It’s in a neighborhood, but that neighborhood — one side of it — is a highway. Out of all my neighborhood parks in District 14, I can look you square in the eyes and tell you more vehicles drive by Glencoe than all of my other neighborhood parks combined because it’s next to U.S. 75. You’ve got some white noise from the highway to drown out what literally is smooth wheels skating on smooth surfaces.” 

The Park Board member held two town halls on the proposed Glencoe Skate Park. At the first meeting, about 80 percent of the 90 attendees expressed adamant opposition to the project. The rest supported it or were undecided.

“This meeting was really inclusive of just the neighborhoods surrounding Glencoe,” he said. “That was a really good indication of how the immediate neighbors felt. The very next day, it was my duty to report that up to Council Member [Paul] Ridley.” 

Less than a week later, on Nov. 1, Karimi held another town hall meeting and invited all Dallas residents. About 60 or 70 people showed up, and about two-thirds supported it. 

“At this point, nobody was undecided,” Karimi said. “I had hoped for 80 percent to be for it … Again, I reported it to [Councilman Ridley] and I was brutally honest.” 

Karimi emphasized that he likes to hear from people on both sides of the issue. This is not his passion project, he said, but he wants to support those who have organized and fought for it. 

“I support our skate parks because our advocates have been loud and proud and I support our advocates, but at the same time, you’ve got to hear from the community too,” he said. “You love the project, let us know. You hate the project, let us know twice. If this happens at Glencoe, I’m going to say, ‘This was the process working itself out.’ If this fails at Glencoe I’m going to hold my chin up saying we failed being bold and daring. We didn’t fail being cowards for our skate advocates.” 

Horse Trading For Bond Money

The Community Bond Task Force has completed its charge of making recommendations and will deliver those — including $350 million for parks and recreation — to the Dallas City Council on Dec. 6. 

“Council will start horse trading,” Karimi said. “They will start slicing and dicing. Some council members will say $350 million is too much for parks. That will come back to the Park Board and we’re going to have to start slicing and dicing $350 million down to $300 million or whatever it is.” 

Dallas Park and Recreation Director John Jenkins has committed to the board that he will not cut skate parks from the budget.

“He will perhaps relocate a skate park, but he will keep a total of $2.5 million for skate parks,” Karimi said. 

The Park Board member added that he has one request for council members as they contemplate how to allocate bond money.

“Do not trade away our skate parks,” he said. “The money for a skate park needs to stay for a skate park, whether that’s at Glencoe or somewhere else. Let’s deliver what the skate community needs.”