CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Bikers Who Care nonprofit organization recently received a $1,455,000 grant to fund the development of a regional all-wheels skatepark, with the project being planned over the last two years.
According to the City of Clarksville, Bikers Who Care received the $1.4 million grant from the Clarksville-Montgomery County Community Health Foundation for the community project.
The site of the development will be at the former Bel-Aire swimming pool, which back in 2024, plans were unveiled for the pool to be replaced by a new Bel-Aire skatepark. The Bel-Aire skatepark design was influenced by several public input meetings and surveys. It was confirmed at the time to be an all-wheels park, allowing for biking and skating, with a section for beginners, according to previous reports. The board settled on two designs in 2024.
Working alongside project partner New Line Skate Parks, the city held additional meetings to determine how the park layout should look. The final design has been submitted, and the project is ready to move forward now that funding has been secured, according to the city’s release. Construction is expected to take about one year.
The Bel-Aire swimming pool was built back in the 1960’s and closed permanently back in 2023 due to findings in a geological report, which included a void beneath the pool.
The city originally brought in consultants, ECS Southeast, to investigate and conduct research, because workers at Bel-Aire Pool became worried that the pool had been leaking, according to the previous report.
Now, as the site turns a new page in its history, the regional skatepark will be developed and managed by Clarksville Parks and Recreation. Clarksville Now has reached out to the City of Clarksville for clarification on what the design layout for the park will look like.
‘We are honored to secure this funding to bring this park to life’
Billy Hughes, Vice President of Bikers Who Care, expressed his enthusiasm on behalf of the BWC in the release.
“We are honored to secure this funding to bring this park to life,” Hughes said. “We look forward to working alongside Clarksville Parks and Recreation to demonstrate what can be accomplished when local leadership and dedicated non-profits lock arms for a common goal.
“The BWC has always stood behind the kids in our community. Major achievements like this park project reinforce our resolve to ensure we continue expanding our mission and delivering lasting, positive impacts for the next generation.”
“When we were presented with the opportunity to work with the BWC, as well as revitalize a well-loved park area, we knew it was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up. Thank you to the Community Health Foundation for providing this grant funding and cultivating such crucial partnerships in our community”, said Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Letourneau.
Mayor Joe Pitts also offered his thoughts and said, “Through the excellent community outreach efforts of our Parks and Recreation Department, we know that there is a need for this inviting all-skate feature. Bikers Who Care have been an important and impactful organization in our city for decades. Their emphasis on projects and programs influencing our youth has made a difference in the lives of thousands over the years.”
Pitts said that, while you may not find him in a helmet and pads anytime soon, he is excited to “drop in” and see others have fun, said the release.
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