A new skate park is underway in New Iberia as the construction company begins work to transform the former swimming pool at City Park into a paradise for local skaters.

Architect David Allain said William Emfinger Construction of Lafayette has been chosen for the project, and the company has been meeting with the city administration and architect to plan out the best strategies for implementing the construction. 

Once completed, the skate park will take over the spot from Bayou Wheels Skate Park, which has served as a skating destination for years and will be used for other purposes. The new skate park was designed with the help of experts in the skating industry along with local skaters who were asked to sit in a meeting and give ideas for what kind of skating arrangements they would like to see in New Iberia. 

Currently, Public Works crews are beginning to demolish the concrete around the pool area as in-service work. Allain said that once that portion is completed, WE Skateparks will come in and start the formwork for the skate park design 

The construction work will take place inside the old pool shell structure and large foam blocks will be stacked and shaped into the skate park obstacles before they are cast with heavy gauge rebar and high strength concrete. 

“It’s a unique conversion process being able to utilize the existing pool shell as part of the construction,” Allain said. “Probably one of only a few in the country have ever done this method. This allows for the work to take place of dry surfacing rather than in the dirt and mud, cutting down on delays due to rainstorms.”

The completion of the park is expected somewhere between late summer to early fall. Skaters are asked to stay out of the construction area until the completion of the project.