The private parks were well used but a skatepark has never been a good business model. It needs to be a public facility. Most city parks and rec insurance already covers them, as it did in Princeton WV. By the way, here are some WV cities who have made a public skate park happen, Roncevert, Beckley, Fayetteville, Oceana, Hinton, Princeton, Wheeling, Morgantown, Parkersburg (under construction). If these towns can afford it, surely Charlelston can. Coonskin is not in Charleston, it is slightly better than nothing and it is often the most crowded place at that park. Check its use compared to the tennis courts and other recreation opportunities there. It just seems that some people like Charleston to be mired in the past. Perhaps it could be funded with a mullet tax.

Although I support the creation of skateparks, the issue is not so cut and dry as merely getting money and land. Many years ago Kanawha City had a very well-used skatepark in the basement of Outdoor Extremes. It was very profitable, but the insurance rates were through the roof, and the ambulance was basically stationed outside of the store. As much as I like the idea of a new skatepark, I don't know how, in this lawsuit-happy culture, that a park could possibly exist. Most people are cool, but it only takes one to ruin it for everybody.