1555 W. Front St. at 15th and Americana
Park is open from sunrise to 11 p.m. – webcam
Rhodes Skate Park is a 1.28-acre special use park located in west downtown near the Linen District. Local youth helped design the park, which features inline skating and skateboarding.
Photo courtesy of Sidewayz Productions who has donated a ton of time and effort to the building of Boise’s world class skatepark.
History
Glenn Rhodes came up with the idea for a multiple-use skatepark after hearing about business owners running off skateboarders from downtown areas. He talked to his neighbor, 16-year-old Tim Shandro, who took him to skate spots and showed him what skateboarders like. And he talked to other kids, who told him “there was no place to skate.”
In 1992, Rhodes, a former Ada County Highway commissioner, persuaded the county and the city to designate a site for kids to recreate. The 1.28 park site is located between 15th and 16th streets under the I-184 connector. Rhodes donated his time to frame the site, pour concrete, install fencing and coordinate all other construction five days a week over a two-year period. Rhodes Park was dedicated in December 1995.
How Element Skateboards “Discovers” Rhodes Park
Rhodes Skatepark – Element Skateboards – City of Boise from Sidewayz Films on Vimeo.
Rhodes Park Project Timeline
The Boise Skateboard Association started as a group of shop owners, local skaters and community advocates in 2005. They formed an alliance with Boise Parks and Recreation to start improving Rhodes Park’s skateable features. They officially organized as the Boise Skateboard Association and set out to transform Rhodes Park into a world-class skatepark.
- In 2011 the Boise Skateboard Association received a $1,700 grant from the Capital City Development Corporation to complete the funding needed to hire Grindline Corporation for conceptual drawings of Rhodes Park and a cost analysis.
- Drawings were produced by Grindline and public meetings were held in 2012.
The BSA started a Rhodes Skatepark Fund under the Idaho Community Foundation to give oversight and produce donor tax receipts. - Jodi Mead and Amy Stahl wrote a proposal for a $10,000 Tony Hawk grant which was awarded in 2013 to Boise Parks and Recreation for Rhodes Park.
- Grassroots events, fundraisers, meetings, and speeches were then organized and given. The community of skaters and advocates continued efforts to improve Rhodes Park and promote skating.
- The generous gift of $1.25 million from J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation in 2014 completed funding for the Rhodes Park rebuild.
The Boise Skateboard Association (BSA) fosters growth, creativity, learning, responsibility and community through skating by working with Boise City Parks and Recreation to develop new skate spots and improve existing skateparks.