SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — If you’ve driven down Cliff Avenue in Sioux Falls in the past week, you might have noticed some big construction happening at Nelson Park. It is a collaborative project between the City and Let’s Skate to bring a first of it’s kind concrete skateboard park to the area.

Izaiah Long Crow and his friends have been coming to Drake Springs Skate Park since they were kids.

“We’ve always been here for the longest time and we already know all the tricks, all the ramps of course, but you know, we’d like some new,” Long Crow said.

Drake Springs is one of two skate parks available in Sioux Falls.

Across the street from Drake Springs, construction started August 1st on a new concrete skate park, the first of it’s kind in Sioux Falls.

“I’m just looking forward for a new skate park because this one’s been around for like 10 years,” said Chaise Huether.

“There’s a big skating community in Sioux Falls, and so this will be their first real legitimate you know, state of the art skate park,” said Tory Miedema, park development specialist.

This project has been in the works by ‘Let’s Skate’ for eight years. Let’s Skate worked with New Line Skateparks to design the new space. The group approached the City to move the project forward last year.

“We’ve been talking for years about a concrete skate park and and just hadn’t got the traction. So with Skate Park Association really coming together. And you know, creating a nonprofit and starting to raise money was awesome to see,” Miedema said.

Let’s Skate fundraised $1.65 million for the project and the City is providing $800,000.

“Design work for this park started back in 2017, and has developed since then, when we had the partnership develop with the City that really pushed things forward. So we’re grateful for the partnership and the fact the City was working with us on that,” said Allison Dvorak, Vice President.

As construction moves forward, both the City and Let’s Skate say they are ready to welcome skateboarders to this area.

The park will host a ‘groundbreaking’ on September 21st. After the groundbreaking New Line Skateparks will take over construction. The park is expected to open for skaters next June.