Renovations Planned for Meijer Skate Park

This time next year, the Meijer Skate Park may be transformed into a different kind of recreational facility.

“It’s been neglected over the years,”  said Derek Smith, director of the Southeastern Livingston County Recreation Authority (SELCRA), which maintains the park. “It doesn’t make sense for us to maintain it in its current state.

“We’d like to start construction by the spring. I’d love to see a splash park. It would be nice to have a pavilion out there as well. A play structure, maybe some basketball hoops. It’s hard to say if the skate park will still be there or if that will become part of the parking lot for the new facilities.”

The opening of two, more updated skate parks in Livingston County has hurt attendance at Meijer Skate Park. The Howell Area Parks and Recreation Authority opened Parker Skate Park and the other skate park in Livingston County is at the Brighton Nazarene Church.

Because of lower attendance the last couple of summers, along with the costs of staffing and maintaining the park, Smith said SELCRA has been losing money on the facility.

The park will be open on a limited basis this summer, from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

“We’ve made it available on the weekends and we’ll have a concert coming up,” Smith said. 

On August 20, SELCRA plans to host a concert at the park.

In the meantime, though, Smith and staff are tossing around ideas as to how to renovate the space.

SELCRA held its 23rd Annual Golf Outing on June 9 and Smith said they raised nearly $6,500 at the event.

“There is some interest from groups around town to make it happen,” Smith said. “We’re looking to get some help from the DDA and other local organizations. We’re going to apply for grants through the DNR. We’d like to bring Meijer back into the mix. Their donation is what got things started in the infant stages. Right now, there are a lot of possibilities there.”