Skate wait: After residents spent years fundraising for a new skate park, Cambria’s CSD considered changing the plan

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Despite more than four years of grassroots efforts and $1.2 million raised, Cambria’s skate park has yet to get rolling after local leaders announced that the project is still at least $80,000 short of covering projected construction costs.

At its meeting on March 13, the Cambria Community Services District (CCSD) board of directors considered moving the location of the 6,000-square-foot proposed skate park from Main Street to East Ranch Community Park, a suggestion brought up by CCSD General Manager Matthew McElhenie as a way to save money.

Though a location change would reduce the price tag, the CCSD board ultimately decided that the skate park will stay at the Main Street site, but not before getting an earful from local residents and skate advocates.

McElhenie told the board that as of March 13, estimates for construction ranged from $1.2 million to $1.3 million amid inflation and county requirements for restrooms, drainage, and parking, among other amenities needed at 1000 Main St. However, the grayest area, he said, was the potential price tag for PG&E electricity, which could add up to $150,000 for installation of either poles or power vaults. McElhenie said the district has had difficulty “pinning down” PG&E for its exact rate.

McElhenie said that according to the project’s memorandum of understanding, construction can’t begin until all funding is secured, so the district’s hands are currently tied.

“If those parameters changed, we would be in a different situation,” he said.

During the March 13 CCSD meeting, Champ Clark, 11, said the skate park must be built so kids could have something to do.

“There’s not much to do here for the youth and I think the skate park would definitely help a lot of people here, and kids that don’t have a lot to do,” he said. “I don’t have much to do, and I love skateboarding.”

Resident Tina Dickason sported a scarf featuring The Scream, an image she said represented her feelings on the matter.

To do anything other than approving the Main Street location, Dickason said would “leave you all with the most disgusting and horrible legacy that I think this town would probably have ever seen.”

Since 2020, the project has raised $1.2 million, with $178,000 coming from the district, about $378,000 raised by Skate Cambria—the primary organization behind the project—and a California State Parks 50-50 grant for $600,000 that goes into effect on April 1. To match that state grant, the district placed $600,000 of its general reserve funds toward the project until construction begins.

Facing the funding gap, McElhenie presented the board with three options. First, to leave the location as is on Main Street and require the community to fundraise the gap amount. McElhenie said the district would accept the State Parks grant and wait for the additional funds, but said, “as you wait, costs accelerate.”

The second option, he said, would allow the district to return the grant and consider moving the project to East Ranch Community Park. Because the district’s current grant is specific to the Main Street location, McElhenie suggested another grant it could apply for, but it would start the project’s efforts completely over.

“I’m agnostic about where the park goes,” he said, but mentioned that the cost of construction could be cheaper at East Ranch since it already has restrooms and other amenities that Main Street does not.

The third option: to “wave the white flag” on the project entirely.

“I know that’s not popular,” he said. “I’m trying to be fiscally responsible.”

Board member Karen Dean asked if the district could better “fine tune” the anticipated gap and noted that district staff have spent almost 700 hours on the project, among others’ volunteer time.

“It’s obvious we were trying to get this project going,” she said. “I want to know [that the community is] willing to help raise the money.”

General Manager McElhenie said that with unknown PG&E prices and potential overrun costs, it would be difficult to narrow down a specific amount.

While weighing the skate park options, Utilities Department Manager Jim Green said he was in favor of the reduced cost associated with moving the project to East Ranch.

Board member Harry Farmer said it was a “matter of faith” as to what was best for the youth and community of Cambria and wanted to see the energy of Main Street continue.

Numerous public commenters said they found the last two options unacceptable and demanded that the skate park remain on Main Street.

Skate Cambria member Chelsea Foster said the group wasn’t afraid to raise more funds if need be, and it had raised all the money—if not more—than what was asked of it. She also said the East Ranch location was unsuitable because the skaters needed somewhere visible and safe.

After numerous other public comments, the board approved keeping the skate park on Main Street with a 5-0 vote.

Skate Cambria Project Manager Juli Amodei told New Times that when she heard the board had been considering a different location, she was furious and saw it as a move to botch the project to regain its $600,000 in general funds.

“What took place on the agenda was about finding a way to get rid of it. Why do you think they want to get rid of it?” she asked. “They want to release the general money that has had to be secured in order to have the grant.”

General Manager McElhenie told New Times via email this accusation was false.

“To be clear, we have always favored the current location. … If the district wanted to stop the project, it would have done so,” he said. “We would not need to come up with a location change to do that.”

Amodei also accused the district of bringing up PG&E pricing at the last minute.

“All of a sudden, this whole narrative started taking place,” she said. “So, we keep hearing there’s a gap, there’s a gap, and then no word of any electricity for five years.”

Because the park would operate from sunup to sundown, Amodei said the group suggested solar energy, which was rejected by the district.

McElhenie responded via email, “Solar is always an option, but for permitting purposes, we still need a PG&E hookup. And again, solar is not cheap and would increase the cost of the project, which is not the direction we want to go.”

All in all, Amodei said the group is eager to get the skate park built and that the district must first get the project going to know its exact costs. But for now, Skate Cambria is ramping up fundraising efforts once again.

“I understand there could be overruns, but you don’t know an overrun until you start a project. And we can’t start a project until we have a request for proposal,” she said. “All of [the project] has been vetted. We are now at a point where we have all our land use permits, we’re in final construction permit with the county, we have $1.1 million to our name on simple math.”

Despite the delays, Amodei said the March 13 meeting was a success and showed what’s most important to the community.

“So, was Thursday a good day? Of course it was. It was a good day because I’m so proud,” she said. “I’m so proud of our kids and our community for advocating and staying with us and believing in the process that this can get done.” Δ

Reach Staff Writer Libbey Hanson at lhanson@newtimesslo.com.

This article appears in Apr 3-13, 2025.