UPPER WEST SIDE — The riverside Skate Park will need to close for 12 to 18 months as part of a $1.8 million renovation that will add new features and better separate skaters by skill level, the city said.
The skate area on West 109th Street in Riverside Park, which was built in 1995, currently includes mini-half pipes, half pipes, ramps and rails, with users of all abilities sharing them.
The renovation will add new features for beginner and advanced skaters, with the existing wood and metal features set to be replaced by concrete items.
The redesign will also better separate skaters based on skill level, creating a new bowl with restricted access meant only for advanced skaters, the plans show. An attendant will monitor the fenced-in bowl, while a separate plaza area will remain unattended and unfenced, with all of the elements 3 feet high or lower.
Within the adjoining plaza, there will be zone dedicated to beginners and intermediates, as well as areas for a mix of skill levels, the plans added.
Construction typically takes between 12 and 18 months, during which the park will be closed, a Parks Department spokeswoman said.
Funding for the skate park's renovation came from Councilmembers Mark Levine and Helen Rosenthal, as well as Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer.
