A skatepark for Dripping Springs

When Dennis Baldwin moved to Dripping Springs in 2011, there were few, if any, places to publicly skateboard. For anything more than the most basic of tricks, a skateboarder would have to make the drive into downtown Austin, facing traffic and crowds. Baldwin, a young father at the time, said he could make it work every now and then. But for children and teens wanting to learn and practice the sport, finding a good place to skateboard was more difficult.

Now, thanks to Baldwin and the Drip Skateboarding team, Dripping Springs is well on its way to building a public skatepark.

The Drip Skateboarding movement began in 2014 with lessons offered through what is now known as the DSISD Community Services. In 2017, the local movement began to gain momentum, and attention turned towards finding a space in the area for a permanent place to board. That year, the Dripping Springs City Council approved a skatepark proposal put forth by Baldwin and others, creating the Skatepark Exploratory Committee. In 2019, the city entered a license agreement with the skatepark, allowing its construction on a 1.5- acre tract of land on the north end of Founders Memorial Park — an area with pre-existing access to water, bathrooms and parking.

Now, three years later, the city of Dripping Springs has approved what some might consider final measures for a free, regional skatepark.

“It’s been a long journey,” Baldwin said, “but I think we’re close.”

At a city council meeting on Tuesday, June 7, council members voted to enter an interlocal agreement with Hays County and the DSCF to fund the construction of the skatepark. Per the agreement, the city will be responsible for providing park land, reviewing construction plans and contracts and operating the skatepark after its completion.

Hays County approved $624,250 in park bond funds to be given to the DSCF to use in construction of the skatepark, according to a report released by the city. The foundation will be responsible for distributing the funds to Dripping Springs Skatepark, Inc., a community group in charge of the park’s design and construction.

Dripping Springs Skatepark and the Drip Skateboarding movement also raised significant funds for the skatepark, receiving donations from residents around the Greater Austin area. The project’s total cost currently sits just under $1 million, according to schematics presented at the June 7 meeting.

With booths at Founders’ Day and other local events, the initiative has made its mission well-known, receiving a remarkable amount of community support.

“Before this movement ever really started, before we started offering lessons, there had been a city survey for the parks and open space master plan… and a skatepark was actually on there,” Baldwin said. “There was already knowledge about skateparks out there, so there was never any pushback. It was really just about making skateboarding a priority.”

“The effort becomes less difficult when you show photos of kids skating, and you present the statistics,” he continued. “There’s a lot of national data out there that shows the benefits of skateboarding — especially for kids and teens.”

Benefits of skateboarding range from mental health to education and careers, according to a 2020 study from the University of Southern California. The study, funded by skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, found that skateboarding fosters community and encourages diversity and resilience.

“There are a lot of sports programs in Dripping Springs, but organized sports aren’t for everybody, and there are a lot of kids that fall through the cracks,” Baldwin said. “Organized sports can be expensive, so even the kids who do fit in may not be able to afford it.”

Baldwin said the response from the city was and continues to be incredibly supportive.

“They’ve put a lot of human resources into it, and the city attorney, Laura Mueller, has been incredibly helpful,” he explained. “But we’ve done a lot of the legwork for the city — advocating for the park, raising awareness and money. In terms of a park being built for a city, this process has been very atypical.”

Dripping Springs Skatepark and the city’s Parks and Community Services Department requested that $150,000 for the skatepark be included in the next city budget, which will go to the city council in July.

“The city’s put a lot of human resources into this; now, we’re just asking that they put some financial resources into it as well,” Baldwin said. “Any well-designed skate park has terrain that allows for all types of skaters to have something to do. We originally had this goal line of the style and size of the park, and without the city’s help, we may not be able to do that.”

The $150,000 would, among other things, allow Dripping Springs Skatepark to include a bowl feature in its design.

For the latest information on Drip Skateboarding, visit their Facebook or Instagram page @dripskateboarding or visit dripskatepark. com. To donate to Dripping Springs Skatepark, go to dripping-springscommunity-foundation. square.site. Dripping Springs Sport Clips marks the 17th location for the Austin area.