Everett celebrates opening of new Lions Park ‘skate dot’

Published 1:30 am Friday, August 7, 2026

EVERETT — The city of Everett celebrated the opening of a small new skate area on Thursday in a park on the south end of the city.

The new “skate dot,” the name for the small skating area, was built in Lions Park, located at 7530 Cascade Drive in south Everett, and had been in the works for over a year.

Mayor Cassie Franklin announced the new park addition at a 2025 State of the City address after the city received feedback from neighborhood groups, nonprofits and the police department asking for skate infrastructure there.

The city put $360,000 toward the project in August 2025, while Snohomish County chipped in $80,000 in grant funds to the project. Everett has two other skate parks in the city, one at Wiggums Hollow Park in north Everett and another at Walter E. Hall Park on Casino Road.

Officials gathered on Thursday to celebrate the new park feature, though it had quietly opened after construction finished in mid-June. City Council President Don Schwab said the “skate dot reflects the city’s commitment to expanding our parks and opportunities, especially here in the south end.”

Eleven-year-old Perry Elliot was riding his bike in the park on Thursday. He said when he wanted to ride in skate parks, he would often travel all the way to Lake Stevens, but now he has an option closer to home.

Also riding in the park, on scooters, were Tyler Munoz, Logan LaBorde and Colby Scott, who lived nearby. They were fans of the new skating option, and the fact it was relatively shallow and compact meant it was a good place for beginners to start learning.

“It’s really mellow, so it’s easy to learn stuff on,” LaBorde said. “We wish it was a little bigger because the layout makes it a little hard, but other than that, it’s done really well. Can’t complain.”

Kimberly Moore, the city’s parks and facilities director, said she was excited to see so many people using the new “skate dot” on Thursday during the opening.

“We wanted to make sure we left plenty of open space still in the park for other people to enjoy, but these small features are really meant for people in the neighborhood to come out and enjoy the skating right here without having to travel so far to a regional facility,” Moore said.

Will Geschke: 425-339-3443; william.geschke@heraldnet.com; X: @willgeschke.