Jordan’s Park and Recreation Advisory Commission gave its recommendations for future skate park improvements.

The recommendations now go to city staff with discussions happening at the July and September PRAC meetings. The current round of discussions came after Jacob Theis, a local resident and student at the middle school, spoke to the city council at its May 8 meeting about Jordan’s lack of a quality skate park.

“The one in Jordan is asphalt and hard to ride on, and tAhe closest decent one is in Shakopee,” Theis said to the council. “I would love to be able to bring my skateboard to school and then ride to the skate park after school.”

Currently, Jordan’s skate park is located at the Mini Met. A city analysis found the park does need improvements and work. Public Works Director Scott Haas in his report to the PRAC said the surface at the Mini Met should be replaced with concrete, and that the skate park is currently in very poor condition. Additionally, Haas mentioned that some of the pieces of the current skate park are no longer made, which makes repairs and maintenance more difficult.

The commission also discussed moving the skate park to Riesgraf Lions Park. The commissioners felt that would be a good central location for the skate park, as well as a good use for a park with limited options due to its location in the floodplain.

“We also need a prioritizing list of needed improvements,” PRAC Chair Donna Breeggemann said at the meeting. “We also need to see what current equipment we have that can be moved or saved if and when we move the skate park as well as more skateboarders in to get input on what is needed.”

The PRAC will most likely come back in July to discuss options that city staff come up with and create a firmer plan of action for the skate park.