Mike Blankenship Skate Park
Between James Messer Fields and TalTran Administrative Offices •
Jackson Bluff Road at Appleyard Drive
Hours of Operation: Sunrise to Midnight
The Mike Blankenship Skate Park is a state-of-the art, 26,000 square foot facility designed to provide maximum enjoyment and challenge for all who utilize it. It boasts a five foot deep pool with a roll down to nine foot. There are numerous rolled lip areas for all level skaters to use, including two above wall extensions, flat banks, raised transitions and other features to challenge all age skaters. The facility is the result of efforts by local skateboarders and members of the local Skaters' Union led by chair Dave Wilcox who worked with Parks and Recreation Department staff to select the site at the James Messer Sports Complex.
Sparked by the efforts of Mayor Scott Maddox, $100,000 was allocated for this facility and support was secured from a local builder, Blankenship Contracting, Inc., to assist in the development. Additional contributions to this preliminary effort were made by Sean Weiner and Russ Landry of SCALES. Mike Blankenship, representing the Contractors Association of Tallahassee, lined up Karen Bass and Rick Moore from Moore Bass Consulting to provide the construction drawings. James Hendricks, lead designer for Team Pain Enterprises, a nationally known skate park design company, designed the skate park with input from local skaters. Tim Payne, the owner of Team Pain, has received a "Lifetime Achievement Award" for his "pioneering spirit and innovative ideas" in designing and building over 100 skate parks worldwide, including those used for the ESPN X-Games each year.
City of Tallahassee Parks and Recreation and Streets and Drainage Division crews along with Blankenship Contracting employees built the Skate Park. The Streets and Drainage Division paved the parking lot. These efforts, along with additional community support enabled the City to stretch their original $100,00 allocation into what is now a $400,000 facility.
This support included donations by: Bob McRee, U.S. Filter; Ken Claybaugh, Ken's Concrete Pumping; Carl Carroll, Carroll & Son Welding & Fabrication; Bobby Garrett, L.B. Smith, Inc.; Hal Slade and Tommy Slay, Flint Equipment; Sonny Corbin, Consolidated Pipe & Supply, Inc.; Derrick Crum, Jackson Cook; Skip McElhenny, Hanson Pipe;Lin Mitchell, The Blue Print Shop; Allen Platt, A.D. Platt & Associates; Ted Gerrell, Ring Power; and Rodney Lawrence, Tallahassee Ford New Holland.
Mike Blankenship Skate Park Rules
- Skate facility will be open from sunrise to midnight, if skate park lights are on.
- Know your abilities and skate at your own risk.
- You must wear a helmet to skate (Safety equipment is recommended at all times, especially shoes, knee, elbow, & wrist/palm pads).
- One skater on each half pipe at a time.
- No graffiti is allowed - don't tag the park!
- No glass containers, food, beverages, drugs, tobacco, alcohol, allowed in the facility.
- Do not skate if surfaces are wet.
- Unruly conduct or defacing of the facility may result in the loss of skating privileges, or closure of park.
- Skateboards and inline skates only!
- Please police each other - keep your park open.
- Please put trash in barrels provided.
Report maintenance problems to the parks division @ 891-5340. City ordinance #88-0-0167
Emergency phone - 911
Tallahassee SK8 Patrol
The SK8 Patrol shall be made up of the skaters themselves. It will be the intent of the SK8 Patrol to "police themselves" at the park. The TPRD has provided information and two in-service meetings to assist the "SK8 patrol" to understand their function. The "SK8 patrol" shall elect Three Patrol Leaders as liaison for the group and TPRD. The Tallahassee Skate Park is open from Sun-Up to midnight; this is 16.5 hours per day. It is the intent to get as many skaters as possible to join in to help patrol the park to insure that the Rules & Regulations of Park are understood by all of the skaters. Each "SK8 Patrol" member will be given a SK8 Patrol sticker that will be worn on their helmet for identification.
- Approach skaters without a helmet and show them the Helmet Violation Notice and follow the information provided on the notice. Deposit the completed notice in the box provided.
- Use the Emergency Voice Box if needed and give the location of the Park, noting the entrance is off Jackson Bluff just east of the Taltran (Bus) Complex.
- Encourage skaters to use the recommended knee, elbow, and wrist/palm pads
- Explain no personal wood or concrete stuff to skate can be brought in without TPRD approval
- No Glass containers in the park
- Point out that the trash cans must be used and assist the skaters in picking up at all times
- Do not tag the park!! Let them know if it is tagged, a Work Order will be submitted and until the work order is completed the park will be closed. Maybe from One to Five Days
- Work with young skaters to encourage them to keep moving and not hang out on top of the drop-in areas, and skate with their heads up to avoid collisions.
- Speak with unruly skaters and skaters cutting off other skaters encouraging courtesy to all skaters.
- Look out for persons not skating and encourage them to sit outside the fence in the seating provided.
- Do not allow young kids without skates into the pool
- Remind skaters to drink plenty of water before coming to the park as well as while skating.
- When there is lightning, go to the Softball Concession Stand. Do not sit under the trees.
- No Wax. TPRD has a designated waxer. No wax is allowed inside the park.
- Enforce NO SMOKING inside the park.
- Enforce No Bikes inside the park.
If you have any questions contact your "Skate Patrol Leader" or Mario Palmentieri at 891-3879.