JEANNETTE TAYLOR PARK

The Jeannette Taylor Park – Richland’s new skate park - celebrated its completion on April 23, 2005 with an all-day skating and music event. Professional and local skaters, bikers, local bands, park donors and local officials highlighted the event. The park, no more that a dream back in 2000, has become a reality in the form of a 22,100 square foot concrete street and bowl paradise for all forms of non-motorized wheels.

The park is located off of Goethals Drive between the HAPO Credit Union and Lourdes Counseling Center in downtown Richland. The park was made possible by generous donations from the Estate of Jeannette Taylor, Central United Protestant Church, other local businesses and individuals, the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation and the City of Richland. A plaque wall is located in the park, listing prominently all those agencies and individuals who donated to the development of the park.

The park features street elements, an eight foot bowl off of a snake run and a separate pool style bowl featuring a 10-foot deep half pipe/bowl. The park was designed with elements for all levels of expertise.

The park has restroom facilities and parking is available along Carondelet Drive. 

Park hours are from 5:00 am to 11:00 pm. The park is a non-smoking facility.

Some Background . . .

Mrs. Taylor was a long-time Richland resident who bequeathed the funds for the creation of a children’s park. The Jeanette Taylor Estate determined the skate park was a benefit to the children of Richland and presented the City with a check for $350,000 for the construction of the park.

Staff was awarded a $75,000 Youth Athletic Facilities grant to leverage the Taylor Estate donation. On August 3, 2004 the City Council unanimously recommended completing Phase Two ($132,000) concurrently with Phase One to take advantage of recent donations. Corp, Inc., has offered a $9,000 donation toward Phase Two of the park if it can be completed in conjunction with Phase One. There was also a $15,000 to $20,000 savings in mobilization costs with Phase Two constructed concurrently. The family of David Juel Christensen, an avid skater who passed away suddenly in 2003, pledged $12,000 to the Phase Two construction in memory of David and his love of skating.