A destination skatepark for the East Side of St. Paul.

Site

York Ave & Payne Ave
Payne-Phalen, St. Paul

Leaders & Partners

Caydence Records & Coffee
Eastside Skatepark Taskforce

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WHAT: A versatile outdoor space for Eastside residents

The Eastside Skatepark Taskforce, made up of Eastside residents and Twin Cities skateboarding advocates, is proposing a destination skatepark that will become an iconic feature in the Payne Phalen business corridor. The Eastside Skatepark and Recreation Area will provide the Payne Phalen and surrounding neighborhoods not only with a skatepark, but with a multi-amenity outdoor space that includes native gardens, solar lighting, picnic and barbecue areas, and resident art that celebrates the cultural fabric of the community. 

The overarching goal of this project is to provide the Payne Phalen and greater Eastside community with a shared resource that will excite, engage, and benefit residents. This is not just a skatepark, but a unique and memorable outdoor gathering space that residents can use for a wide range of purposes, from birthday parties and farmers markets to a simple lunch meeting spot. In other words, this project is for and because of “Eastside Pride”.

The proposed site for this park is currently a large, underutilized but highly visible parking lot at the corner of NW Payne Avenue and York Avenue (901 Payne Avenue), in the heart of the Payne Avenue business corridor. A dynamic community recreation and greenspace at this site will strengthen the growing vitality of Payne Avenue, bolster public safety without increased policing, and provide an outdoor “family room” for residents where visitors are also welcome.

WHY: Individual and community well-being

Payne Phalen is the largest and most culturally diverse neighborhood in St. Paul. It is also a community burdened with the second largest crime rate in the city. Furthermore, it is not an inherently wealthy community: 40% of households earn less than $35,000 per year. So why build a feature skatepark and outdoor recreation space here? Green and recreation spaces statistically improve public safety, wellness, and quality of life. Payne Phalen is a neighborhood that could use this type of investment. 

Skateboarding promotes physical and emotional well-being on an individual level. It is a physically challenging activity that exists outside the traditional structure of team sports, which are not accessible to everyone. A feature skatepark on Payne Avenue will be a visible, accessible, and safe outlet for all youth to utilize. Families that can’t afford team sports fees, memberships to private facilities, or expensive playgrounds in their own yards will benefit greatly from this neighborhood asset.

 The Eastside Skatepark and Recreation is also a space to connect with other people. Shared spaces and experiences build community. Whether a resident is using the park to skateboard or to eat lunch, it provides a common space for neighbors of all ages to feel comfort and connection, which are vital for both individual and community health. Furthermore, skateboarding will only become more popular as it becomes an Olympic sport in 2021. A state-of-the-art skatepark is a declaration of the community’s vitality and a show of positive investment in the community that is free for all to enjoy.

Green and recreation spaces statistically improve public safety, wellness and quality of life. They promote community cohesion, inclusion, and pride in one’s neighborhood. A multi-amenity skatepark in Payne Phalen is an investment in health equity for a densely populated, deserving community.

WHO – The Eastside Community

■      Affected Ward: Wards 5, 6, and the entire Eastside

■      Affected Neighborhood District Council: Payne-Phalen

■      Priority users: Youth and their families of the Payne-Phalen neighborhood and the surrounding Eastside community

■      Other users: Visitors to the Eastside who enjoy skateboarding, roller-skating, BMX biking or who wish to watch these activities while enjoying native gardens, picnic areas, pedestrian walkways and other park amenities.

■      Benefits to the community include:

–      More visitors to the neighborhood leading to increased patronage of local businesses, particularly food establishments

–      strengthening of public safety as this currently underutilized space becomes activated

–      fostering community cohesion as residents enjoy a space to meet one another and share pride in a dynamic destination park

WHERE – The Location

 ■      Parking lot at 907 Payne Ave, corner of York and Payne Avenue

■      Currently an underutilized city-owned parking lot

■      Central to the community and the business corridor

This location is important. By turning this lot into a shared community asset, St. Paul City elects and other local leaders will be sending a clear visual statement to Payne Phalen residents, local business owners and employees and to all visitors that this is a respected, valued neighborhood worthy of investment and resources.