News broke on Wednesday that Eglin Federal Credit Union made a $100,000 donation to help Crestview’s skate park get completed all at once, rather than in phases.

At the January 25th city council meeting, Crestview unanimously approved paying up to $350,000 to the American Ramp Company to build the park that was spearheaded by Hub City Skate. With this donation, the park will be known as the Eglin Federal Credit Union Skate Park.

The design includes a beginner area with a rail, ledges, low impact pump bump, and manual pad. It also includes a streets section with various height banks, ledges and stairs, and a half bowl.

The beginner section is approximately 2,200 to 2,400 square feet. The streets section is divided into two sections, approximately 1,800 to 2,000 square feet and approximately 500 square feet.

The half bowl section is approximately 1,800 to 2,000 square feet.

“This skate park has been something that we’ve been talking about probably for over a year now,” said Mayor JB Whitten. “And it’s a slow process, but because of Eglin Federal Credit Union helping us out, it’s going to be a lot faster process.”

According to the city of Crestview, the city will be applying to the Skatepark Project, formerly known as the Tony Hawk Foundation. The Skateboard Project’s national grant program awards municipalities grants from $1,000.00 up to $25,000.00.

“It is going to be a great place for the youth, young adults and the young at heart to connect and have a place for them,” said Neko Stubblefield, EFCU’s membership and community development manager.

“We’ve watched Crestview grow for many, many years,” said EFCU President/CEO Jerry Williams. “We built our first branch here in 1989, another one in 2007, and we watched the city grow. It’s important to keep things available for the youth to give them something, some purpose, a place to go. So it’s hard to not get excited about this skate park when the city is behind so much behind it as well.”

Construction of the skate park could be completed by April 19th, 2021, which is the beginning of Spring Break for Okaloosa County schools.