City officials say the money being spent on the new skatepark has been specifically earmarked for such projects, which wouldn\u2019t be able to be used for other spending areas \u2014 like offsetting the deficit. That means the spending won\u2019t come from the general fund, the city\u2019s most flexible pool of money.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780621093_79_VOCCNS-140x140.png\")
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Editors\u2019 Note: This dispatch is part of the Voice of OC Collegiate News Service<\/a>, working with student journalists to cover public policy issues across Orange County. If you would like to submit your own student media project related to Orange County civics or if you have any response to this work, contact admin@voiceofoc.org.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, some of the skatepark\u2019s planned features also include a multi-level bowl with varying depths, hips, extensions and pool-style coping, along with a street plaza featuring handrails, ledges, manual pads, quarter pipes and banks intended to maximize usability throughout the park.<\/p>\n The total cost for the skatepark project is expected to be $2.8 million. The overall project will be paid for using Park Acquisition funds, Capital Projects funds and County Park Grants funds, according to the staff report.<\/p>\n Some city leaders estimate it could be open within the next year.<\/p>\n The project traces back to November 2022, when the city council directed staff to use $1.75 million in park development fees to begin planning a skatepark at Grijalva Park. The city later contracted with Grindline Skateparks to provide design, engineering and construction management services for the project.<\/p>\n \u201cThe skate park, as an idea or premise to be in the city, has been around for some time, with the desires of the community wanting it,\u201d Councilmember Jon Dumitru said in a phone interview.<\/p>\n Councilmember Arianna Barrios wrote in an email that a master plan for Grijalva Park was developed several years ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n While the old plan did not specifically call for a skatepark, a group of residents asked the council to approve a skatepark on one of the unused land pads, and the council agreed, she wrote.<\/p>\n Community members have helped shape the proposed project through public meetings, during which residents emphasized the need for a safe, high-quality recreational space for skaters of all ages and skill levels.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cA new skatepark would provide a space for the community to gather as well as offer an additional amenity for fitness and active recreation,\u201d Charlene Cheng, the Public Affairs and Information Manager for Orange, wrote in an email to Voice of OC.<\/p>\n This comes at a time when other OC cities, like Costa Mesa<\/a> and Lake Forest<\/a>, are also looking to expand their skateparks.<\/p>\n [Read: Skating Across Orange County<\/a>]<\/p>\n According to Dumitru, there is no firm timeline for when this skatepark will open, as the project still has several stages before construction is complete.\u00a0<\/p>\n He explained that while city officials originally hoped the skatepark would open sooner, unexpected issues could delay progress,\u00a0 including possible environmental remediation due to the site\u2019s prior use as a dump.\u00a0<\/p>\n He went on to explain that much of the delay stems from limited city staffing and the time required to move the project through the contracting and approval process.\u00a0<\/p>\n Once the city officially approves the project and secures construction and project management contracts, Dumitru said he hopes progress will move quickly.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m optimistic that within the next year, we\u2019ll have a skate park,\u201d Dumitru said.\u00a0<\/p>\n When asked whether there were any concerns about the project, Dumitru mentioned the possibility of teen drinking or drug use and the policing issues that come with this. However, he listed many reasons why he did not see this becoming an issue at Grijalva Park.<\/p>\n \u201cThis skate park will be very open. It\u2019ll be observable from multiple angles,\u201d said Dumitru. \u201cThe people using it are going to be more family-oriented just because of where it\u2019s located.\u201d<\/p>\n Additionally, this project comes at a time when Orange officials are pushing to ban smoking in public parks, a development that would make policing these issues much easier.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/NoraGrijalva2.png\")
Grijalva Park in Orange on May 13, 2026. Credit: NORA GRUBE, Voice of OC<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/NoraGrijalva3.png\")
Grijalva Park in Orange on May 13, 2026. Credit: NORA GRUBE, Voice of OC<\/p>\n