Valparaiso skatepark now open
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Officials in Valparaiso have cut the ribbon on the first phase of the Flounder & Friends Skatepark. Our partners at Lakeshore Public Media report the nearly $2 million project pays tribute to the city’s original skatepark, and there are plans for additional phases.
The original skatepark was built decades ago by a group of local teenagers in memory of Ray “Flounder” Wampler. Among those teenagers was Dug Ketterman, who would go on to found 3D design, visualization and animation company DugOut Design Studio.
Ketterman designed the new skate park, which is located inside Fairgrounds Park in Valparaiso.
“I don’t think you can beat this location,” Ketterman told Lakeshore Public Media. “First off, the lights are amazing, the view, everyone walking the track around this place. It’s going to be experienced by so many different people. We’re not hiding it away in a forest somewhere. We’re bringing it right out into the open and celebrating this for the entire community.”
The 16,000-square-foot skatepark features a mini ramp, bowl, and street features, among other features. City Administrator Bill Oeding said the venue will not only serve the local community, but it will also serve as a regional draw.
“The design and features elevate this space,” Oeding said. “Like the city of Valparaiso, there’s nothing else like Flounder & Friends Skatepark for miles and miles around.”
The not-for-profit Valparaiso Creative Council also launched a crowdfunding campaign earlier this year to fund a sculpture at the skatepark. The organization surpassed its $45,000 goal, earning a match through the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority’s CreatINg Places program.