New skate park brings hope to Pueblo’s east side

A new skate park on the city’s east side is bringing hope to an area that’s been plagued by violence for years.

“There’s a lot of wonderful people that live here on the east side and they’re trying real hard to make a decent living,” said community organizer Floyd Jaramillo.

Last week, a skate park at El Centro del Quinto Sol Recreation Center, located at 609 E. Sixth Street, opened to the public. The $2.5 million project features not only a skate park but also a festival plaza, an amphitheater, a beach area, a community garden and some trail renovations along the Fountain Creek.

Parents hope the park deters young people from joining gangs by giving them something positive to do when they’re out of school.

“I think it’s pretty cool. This is the first time I came out to check it out, but hopefully it gives the kids something to keep them busy than running the streets,” said grandmother Anne Cabello.

The project, funded through a Great Outdoors Colorado grant in June of 2012, has already brought dozens of bicyclists and skateboarders to the park.

Jaramillo believes a lack of activities for the youth and little education have hurt the area for too long. But he said the new park is a promising change.

“It’s nice to see these kids being kids. We don’t see that anymore,” he said, looking at the skate park.

Next year, the park will also receive new playground equipment and the existing parking lot will be refurbished. The city, in a press release, said that part of the project will be funded by a Community Development Block Grant of over $195,000, which was nominated by the El Centro del Quinto Sol Board of Directors.