Columbia Skate Park

About Columbia Skatepark

Columbia, Missouri, is home to an outdoor facility for skateboarders and inline skaters recognized nationwide by the skating community and its press. Completed in 1999, the park has an elaborate street course designed to entertain and challenge skaters, whether they are beginners or experienced. The 28,000 sq. ft. course was designed by park planning staff and skaters. The skaters who participated in the design process ranged in age from 12-24 years old. Construction was accomplished in-house by the Parks and Recreation construction staff.

The Skate Park is located at the north end of Columbia Cosmopolitan Recreation Center, also known as Cosmo Park and CCRA. Cosmo Park is designated as a regional park, encompassing 533 acres, and home to Antimi Sports ComplexRainbow Softball Centersoccer and football fields, and L.A. Nickell Golf Course. The Skate Park is not staffed and is open to skaters year round (weather permitting) with no admission fee. Skaters from all over the country and even some outside its borders have come to visit Columbia Skate Park.

Although the Skate Park is unlighted at this time, conduit was laid during construction in anticipation that funding for lights might become available in the future.

Columbia Parks and Recreation usually hosts a Shred Fest event in June to celebrate National Skateboarding Day. Check out the month of June on the Special Events Calendar for the event date.

Check the Parks and Recreation calendar of events for any other upcoming scheduled Skate Park events hosted by the Parks and Recreation Department.

Facility amenities

Skate park elements

  • 25′ x 25′ pyramid
  • 16′ lowbox
  • 9′ high bank
  • 150′ of quarter pipe
  • 30′ of half pipe
  • 15′ wide taco
  • 3 sets of stairs
  • 30′ wide funbox

Material totals

  • Course – 175 ft. x 160 ft. = 28,000 sq. ft.
  • 525 ft. of coping
  • 75 ft. of grindrail
  • 540 sq. yd. concrete

Frequently Asked Questions

Skate Park book

After building the Skate Park in 1999, the City of Columbia received many inquiries from other agencies desiring to build a skate park in their community.

The Skate Park Book is available free of charge online. You may download the book below or view the PDF online.

Rules and Regulations

Skate Park Rules

This area has been designed to provide skaters with a moderate challenge for recreation purposes and to help develop their skills. It is not possible to design and build a skate or skateboard facility without hard surfaces. The same hard surfaces that challenge the skater pose significant risk of injury if the skater falls.

Warning!

This facility is unsupervised. Users assume all risks inherent in the use of this facility. Use may result in serious injury.

Safety Helmets

Effective May 10, 2003, persons 15 years of age and under must wear a skate or bicycle helmet while using the Columbia Skate Park as required by the City Ordinance Section 16-238.

City of Columbia – Code of Ordinances

Sec. 16-238. Use of Protective Helmets.

  1. No person fifteen (15) years of age or younger shall wear, ride or use any roller skates, inline skates, roller blades, skateboards, or scooter, as these things are commonly defined, within the city limits without properly wearing an approved skate or bicycle helmet securely fastened by chin or neck strap.

  2. An approved skate or bicycle helmet is headgear which meets or exceeds the impact standard for protective helmets set by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission federal safety standards.

  3. No parent, custodian, or legal guardian of a person fifteen (15) years of age or younger shall allow that person to wear, ride or use any roller skates, in-line skates, roller blades, skateboards, scooter or tricycle within the city limits as set out in this ordinance without wearing an approved skate or bicycle helmet. This is an offense of absolute liability.

  4. Violation of this section is an infraction punishable by a fine of not less than $5.00 nor more than $25.00.

Other Safety Equipment

In addition to the required safety helmets, we strongly urge all skaters and skateboarders to wear:

  • Elbow pads
  • Knee pads
  • Wrist pads

All parents should require their children to wear this protective equipment while using this facility. Failure to wear protective equipment will expose users to bone fractures, concussion and other serious injury upon falling or collision with other users.

Rules

  • No glass containers, food, or beverage allowed on the skating surface. Spills jeopardize the skaters.
  • No other items such as benches, tables, wood materials, or other objects used as ramps or jumps are allowed in the skate park facility.
  • No pets are allowed in skate park area.
  • No skating against traffic on ramps or pipes.
  • Do not proceed down a ramp until clear of other skaters.
  • Hours of permitted use are from 7:00 am to sundown. It shall be unlawful for any other person to enter or remain on the premises outside the hours posted. (Section 17-131)
  • Alcohol, tobacco, and or drugs are prohibited.
  • No bicycle or scooter usage in skate park area. (See Frequently Asked Questions for more information regarding bikes/scooters.)

Columbia Parks and Recreation Department reserves the right to:

  • Close the facility for any circumstances deemed necessary. (Section 17-132)
  • Restrict entry to the facility and to ask persons to leave the facility if any of the rules are not followed, or if unsafe behavior is observed. (Section 17-42)

Please remember

Skate with safety in mind and remember weather conditions may create unsafe surfaces for skating.

Maintaining the facility

Please report maintenance concerns to the Parks Services Division: (573) 874-7201. Messages may be left 24 hours per day.

Serious injuries

In case of serious injury or other emergency, call 911. The facility is located in the Columbia Cosmopolitan Recreation Area. 1615 Business Loop 70 West. 

Roller Hockey Rink Rules

This area has been designed to provide hockey players with a rink for recreation purposes. It is not possible to design an outdoor rink without hard surfaces. The same hard surfaces required for play pose a significant risk of injury if the player falls.

Warning!

This facility is unsupervised. Users assume all risks inherent in the use of this facility. Use may result in serious injury.

Safety Equipment

We strongly urge all players to wear:

  • Protective helmets
  • Elbow pads
  • Knee pads
  • Wrist pads

All parents should require their children to wear this protective equipment while using this facility. Failure to wear protective equipment will expose users to bone fractures, concussion, and other serious injury upon falling or colliding with other users.

Rules

  • League play takes precedence over pick up games.
  • No glass containers, food, or beverage allowed on the skating surface. Spills jeopardize the players.
  • No pets are allowed in the roller hockey rink area.
  • Hours of permitted use are 7:00 am to sundown. It shall be unlawful for any person to enter or remain on the premises outside the hours posted. (Section 17-131)
  • Alcohol, tobacco, and drugs are prohibited in the park.
  • No bicycle usage in the skatepark area.

Columbia Parks and Recreation Department reserves the right to:

  • Close the facility for any circumstance deemed necessary. (Section 17-132)
  • Restrict entry to the facility and to ask persons to leave the facility if any of the rules are not followed, or if unsafe behavior is observed. (Section 17-42)

Maintaining the facility

Please report maintenance concerns to the Parks Services Division (573) 874-7201. Messages may be left 24 hours a day.

Serious injuries

In case of serious injury or other emergency, call 911. The skate park is located in Columbia Cosmopolitan Recreation Area. 1615 Business Loop 70 West. 

Skate Park Book

After building the Skate Park in 1999, the City of Columbia received many inquiries from other agencies desiring to build a skate park in their community. Columbia Parks and Recreation staff compiled a Skate Park Book to assist these agencies.

History

skateboarder

In 1997 Columbia’s downtown business community asked the City to deal with the skateboarding problem in that area. The request lead to a vocal appeal to the City to provide a place for this group of young people to practice their sport. In September of 1997, the City Council approved the development of a skate park.

The actual design of the park was achieved by combining the talents of the park planner with the expertise of a design committee made up of skateboarders and inline skaters. This process proved to be very effective in that it allowed the future user group to express their desires and to educate the planner. The types of materials, maintenance concerns, safety concerns, and operational issues were among the most important matters considered. The actual construction plans and specifications were completed by the planner. The skaters have a very strong sense of ownership in the park, and this may be the most important benefit of the joint planning effort.

The skateboard park is approximately 175 feet wide and 160 feet long, making a total of 28,000 square feet of concrete. The design is described as an elaborate street course that incorporates many popular features including: transitions, flat ramps, spine ramps, pyramids, curbs, 525 feet of coping, and 75 feet of grind rails.

The roller hockey rink adjacent to the skateboard facility offers participants a chance to skate on a rink whose size and surface material is specifically designed for the sport of roller hockey. The rink is bordered with hockey dasher boards. This facility is open for pick up skating.

Construction costs for the skate park totaled $64,000. The Columbia Parks and Recreation Department designed, constructed, and landscaped the park, using $39,000 from the Public Improvement Fund. The park would not have been possible without the generous support of Columbia Cosmopolitan Luncheon Club. Their donation of $25,000 enabled Parks and Recreation to move forward with plans to create a large, durable skate park that would best serve Columbia.

Project cost

The project was constructed in 1999 by Parks and Recreation staff. The project budget was $64,000 and only included the construction materials used to build the skate park. (Labor costs are not charged against a development project when in-house labor is used.) Another source of funding was used to construct the 101 car parking lot that serves the Skate Park.

  • $39,000 from City General Fund
  • $25,000 donation from local Columbia Cosmopolitan Club

Dedication

Skate Park Dedication Brochureopens PDF file

Over 300 people gathered Saturday, June 19, 1999, to celebrate the grand opening of the Columbia Skate Park. Skaters, parents, city officials, and spectators were joined by a local radio station broadcasting live until noon, at which time another D.J. provided accompaniment to the local and professional skate team demonstrations.

Skate Park dedication ceremony

Skateboard manufacturers Element and New Deal sent professional skaters Donny Barley and Chad Bartie to entertain the crowd.

skateboard pros Donny Barley and Chad Bartie

skaters at dedication ceremony

skaters at dedication ceremony

After an hour of demonstrations, the dedication ceremony began. Parks and Recreation Director, Michael Hood welcomed visitors and made introductions. Columbia City Manager, Ray Beck and Columbia Mayor, Darwin Hindman spoke before representatives of Columbia Cosmopolitan Club and Columbia Skate Park Association gave their perspectives on the success of the new park. The Columbia Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors held the ribbon cutting, at which time the park was officially opened.

Aerial skaters at Skate Park dedication

skaters and crowd at Skate Park dedication