BURRILLVILLE – A development firm has laid out four potential designs for the new skate park to be built in Burrillville and the public now will get to choose which one they hope to see built next year to replace the decades old facility on Chapel Street.
Pillar Design Studios provided four unique concepts to the town’s Planning Department, featuring a variety of concrete ramps, bowls, rails, and ledges.
On Thursday, Nov, 6, the town will hold an open house from 4 to 6 p.m. just across the street from the park at Village Gas at 172 Chapel St. Attendees will have the chance to offer feedback and to cast a vote for their favorite design.
“The designer will tweak a concept if there’s a lot of input,” explained Deputy Planner Nicole Stockwell. “They’re looking for public opinion.”
Planning for the new park has been in the works in Burrillville since 2022, when the town was approved for a $500,000 grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to fund the project. The Town Council has approved $150,000 in matching funds for construction.
Town officials reportedly looked at 17 locations throughout 2023 before deciding to keep the facility at its current location on Chapel Street, taking into consideration factors including visibility, proximity to the center of town, impact to abutters and ownership.
The park will replace the existing roughly 6,000-square-foot steel structure currently in use, first erected at Eccleston Field in 2005. The structure was moved after just four years on Callahan School Street due to complaints about behavior and vandalism. After the town purchased the 1.3 acre Chapel Street property in 2011, the equipment was refurbished and moved to where it still stands today.
Stockwell noted that initial plans envisioned doubling the park’s size, but have since been scaled back somewhat due to escalating costs. All four of the potential designs would see a 5,000-square-foot concrete structure installed over the existing park, with a shaded area and seating added, and parking to remain the same. The four concepts have been vetted by town officials, and deemed feasible within the budget and site limitations.
“They want to maintain visibility and have the least impact,” Stockwell said of the town’s input on the plans.
All designs also include installation of a crosswalk from the skatepark to Village Gas, a popular destination for park goers for refreshments available at the convenience store, Brewology and Fresh Pita.
“There’s a lot of crossing going on over there without a crosswalk,” said Stockwell.
The park’s proximity to the store also made the business an ideal place for the open house, she explained.
“We wanted people to be able to look over and envision it,” she said of the park.
Business owner Zeshan Abid stepped forward with an offer to host the public session.
“He’s a very good community business owner,” said Stockwell. “He works well with the town.”
The deputy planner noted that town officials decided to allow the public to vote on the project in part because they want to make sure the equipment is something that visitors will use. Town Council members, she said, spoke with some local kids for feedback when discussions of the project first started.
“There was interest in the concrete,” she said. “I’m not a skater, so I don’t know what kids might want.”
Potential designs feature variations of rails – typically used for more technical maneuvers – as well as ramps and bowls, for use with scooters, bikes and skateboards. Stockwell said Design “A” features more bowls, while “B” offers more for those with technical skills, and “C” and “D” offer a mix of the two.
“C is the one that we’re favoring,” said Stockwell. “That is the one we like the best, but we want the one kids are looking for.”
On November 6, representatives from design firm Pillar will give a presentation with a virtual flyover of the various designs, and town officials will be on hand to answer questions. The event is open to anyone with interest in the park, whether or not they live in Burrillville.
But those unable to attend are also invited to weigh in via an online survey found here or accessed through the QR code below, which will be open through Thursday, Nov. 20. A more detailed visual of the four designs can be found below the flyer.
“It’s a public park so it will be open to anybody, as is the open house,” Stockwell said.
The feedback will be used to determine the final design prior to applying for permits with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. The project is expected to go before the Planning Board for development plan review sometime in early 2026 with hopes to break ground by late spring or early summer.
The public can stay informed on progress by e-subscribing on the town website to receive notice of meetings, plans, meeting minutes and more.
