New portable skate park coming this summer

MISHAWAKA, Ind. – Mishawaka parks is bringing a portable skate park this summer in a partnership with Indiana Center for Recovery. Park usage has soared due to COVID-19 making the portable park a new addition to outdoor recreation for Mishawaka community members that will utilize the Merrifield Ice Rink which typically is left empty during the summer months.

“Super excited not just because we were able to help fund the project, but because we were able to become part of the community," said Jackie Daniels, Vice President of Community Relations for Indiana Center for Recovery.

The park sponsored will feature ramps for skateboards, bikes, rollerblades, and scooters.

“We’re really excited about the portable skate park. We’re gonna be able to use it at the Merrifield Ice Rink where typically during the summer months it doesn’t get used because we typically only use it for the ice skating season," said Phil Blasko, Superintendent of Parks for the City of Mishawaka.

Blasko says we can expect to see the park during their summer events and popping up at neighboring parks - Twin Branch and Mary Gibbard - as well.

“We can pop it up at any of our neighborhood parks in any of the parking lots. We’re also looking to do a partnership with school city in Mishawaka to start after school programming for skateboarding," said Blasko.

The partnership hoping to create a safe place for younger members of the community to enjoy with the goal of extending to events like family skate nights.

"You know their mission is to engage with the community and bring people together and us at the parks department that’s all what we’re about - engaging with the community and bringing families together and trying to create a great atmosphere for everyone to enjoy themselves," said Blasko.

This partnership - the first for the recovery center in Mishawaka - will be opening a facility here in the next three months.

“I think really in general our facility and our program at Indiana Center for Recovery is really excited to be part of the community and it started with parks and rec but it will not end there," said Daniels.

The park is set to open the first weekend of June.