Nonprofit to begin planning for Whitefish skatepark expansion

Throughout the summer, 40-plus local kids come out to the Dave Olseth Memorial Skatepark off Armory Road in Whitefish to attend a skateboard camp.

Leland McNamara hosts the SK8Fish camp in conjunction with the City of Whitefish and says every day for five weeks straight the camp is well attended. The skateboard camp keeps growing each year and the park is becoming increasingly busy.

“It is a great outlet for the kids, but because our area is populating so much, it's seemingly becoming overcrowded,” he said.

The popularity of the skatepark has only grown in Whitefish over the years and because of that McNamara and a few friends decided to head up a skatepark expansion effort. On Friday, May 20, the newly formed nonprofit Whitefish Skatepark Association will host the first community meeting to begin discussing the potential expansion. The meeting will be held at the Armory Building starting at 6:30 p.m. and all are invited to attend.

The meeting will focus mostly on design concepts and hearing what community members would like to see in a potential expansion. The nonprofit will soon begin fundraising efforts.

McNamara stressed that this meeting is just the beginning of a long process to bring the expansion to fruition.

“It’s us getting the ball rolling,” he said.

The Dave Olseth Memorial Skatepark was built in 2006 after a local group came together to raise funds to bring a skatepark to Whitefish. It was named after Dave Olseth, an avid skateboarder and mountain biker who died in 2001 while biking the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier Park. His family donated $100,000 of the $325,000 it cost to build the skatepark.

The park has an array of features including two pools, metal rails, stairs and more.

“The park provides a place for kids and adults of any age to challenge themselves in a safe atmosphere. A place they can call their own,” McNamara said. “This is a place where skateboarders and kids who ride scooters can be themselves, hang with friends and push the boundaries of what is possible.”

The SK8Fish camp fills up quickly every summer, according to McNamara, because the demand is high. During the camp, kids improve their skating skills, but also learn commitment, determination and creativity. The skateboard camp is only able to manage the 40 kid registration because the city closes the skatepark to the general public for a few hours each day during SK8Fish camp.

The skatepark totals around 12,000 square feet at Armory Park, and McNamara says the new Whitefish Skatepark Association is looking at around a 7,000 square foot expansion. The City of Whitefish has already offered the land needed and now the nonprofit hopes to begin fundraising efforts with the community’s help.

The Whitefish Skate Park Association plans to add a street section that would cater to beginners and advanced skaters alike, while also serving as a way to progress into the rest of the park.

“Our goal is for all skill levels to feel welcome,” McNamara said. “Also having more area at the park will create a safer environment.”

Dreamland Skateparks, LLC, the park builders that created the original Whitefish skatepark, will be charged with creating the expansion and will also be hosting the meeting on Friday.

“Dreamland has been on board with us since the beginning of the inception of this idea,” McNamara said.

The new Whitefish Skatepark Association is a 501c3 nonprofit organization with McNamara, Matt Holloway and Ryan Brown serving as the board members.

The first open community design input meeting is Friday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Armory building located at the Whitefish skatepark — 305 Armory Road.

Donations to the Whitefish Skatepark Association can be made at Whitefish Credit Union.