IMAGE GALLERY: Skate Park Committee Explores Potential of Farm Pond Site

The Framingham Skate Park Committee went on a field trip last Thursday to farm Pond to explore the potential for a skate park at that site, across from Cushing Memorial Park.

The Committee is scheduled to meet tonight at 7 at Framingham Parks & Recreation offices on Union Avenue to identify and prioritize criteria to be used to evaluate all the potential sites for a skate park across town.

The public is invited to attend the meeting.

In May, Town Meeting voted to move forward with plans to build a skate park in the Town of Framingham.

Town Meeting voted 124-4 to spend $50,000 to design a concrete skate park in the Town of Framingham.

Estimated costs to build the concrete skate park is $250,000 to $450,000, and plans are to be submitted back to Town Meeting no later than 2016.

The Town of Framingham put out a request for bids for a designer/firm for the skate park last week.

Bids are due back to the Town of Framingham by Sept. 3 at 1 p.m.

The Town of Framingham is seeking a design firm ”to provide skate park design, feasibility, and planning services in preparation for construction of the first skate park in Framingham.”

Designers must have at least 5 years’ experience in the design, construction, and construction administration of skate parks, including prior work in the public sector.

The firm may help the Town determine the “appropriate size for a proposed skate park, establishing site criteria, assisting with site assessment and selection, conducting community engagement meetings to obtain critical user input, developing concept plans and associated graphics based on inputs, developing outline specifications and construction budget estimates, and assisting with compilation of an appropriate report chronicling the process and outcomes related to the skate park design effort. “

The designer or firm will work collaboratively with the 11-member Skatepark Advisory Committee, and report to the Director of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs during the entire project.

Framingham Selectman Jason Smith is the chair of the Skatepark Committee. Betty Funk is the vice chair, and will oversee tonight’s meeting.