Colorado skaters help lead way in Buchanan Park revitalization

In Evergreen, Buchanan Park is getting a big makeover soon, and at the center of the push is an increasingly vibrant skate community. One that wants to create a hub for all the mountain towns to enjoy. 

"I think it's really gonna lead to a healthy skate culture moving forward and promote the sport amongst the youth," said Matt Buzas, who helps run the Evergreen Skate Coalition. 

The current skate park is up a set of stairs, just south of Evergreen High School. 

Currently, some complaints about the park is a lack of sight lines and the concern of people hanging around the park by the school in the night. 

As Buchanan Park underwent a major revitalization, Buzas and other advocates saw a chance to bring the skate park to the recreation area, one of the main arteries of Evergreen.

"All five board of directors approved the skate park here in Buchanan and we've gotten a lot of feedback -- positive feedback from community leaders," said Buzas. 

"It's in a great location for the exact opportunity for families and kids to come and hang out with their peers and it's free," Marc Vitelli, who is also part of the Coalition, said. 

The hope is for the skate park to add more of what is called, "third spaces."

Two spaces exist for people – home and work – while third spaces are defined as places where individuals spend their leisure time. 

With a larger national concern about these spaces disappearing or requiring payment for use, Evergreen sees a chance for Buchanan to be a place that everyone of every age from any place can enjoy. 

"We already know that people from all over the foothills region and metro Denver are using Buchanan Park for easy access to outdoor recreation," Liz Cohen of Evergreen Parks and Recreation explained.

"When we did the fundraiser for the skate park coalition it was a really big, cool party and we raised money in a really cool way," Jarred Lillyhorn, who works for EPRD, followed up. 

So far, Evergreen Skate Coalition managed to raise over $10,000 at a recent fundraiser. 

They say they will have more events to help secure what is a sizable investment – roughly $750,000 – and the park at large has also received some major boosts. In the most recent grant cycle, EPRD secure forty thousand dollars from Jefferson County, the largest grant given this cycle. 

"We were thrilled with that and that gave us a major boost of confidence that this isn't just a great idea for us," Buzas said. "It's a great idea for local politicians.

"We have a unique opportunity with this park to deliver that not just for Evergreen kids but for kids across metro Denver," Cohen concluded.