Renovated Forge Village skate park draws out-of-state visitors

WESTFORD — After a complete renovation last fall, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Field Forge Village skate park remains relatively untouched.

“It looked brand new, like we’d be the first to skate it,” said Hudson N.H. resident Jake Devine.

According to Devine, he stumbled upon the park “randomly” and was surprised to see its “pristine” condition. Originally built in 2000, the park was renovated in 2021 because of unsafe conditions.

“Unfortunately, these [wooden] types of materials do not withstand exposure to heavy use and New England weather, both of which cause rapid deterioration and create unsafe conditions for users,” former Recreation Director James Duane wrote in a funding request from 2020. “As a result, the existing structures currently pose a safety risk to users, and are a potential liability risk for the town.”

A total of $39,950 was approved for renovations in May 2021. As part of the renovations, deteriorating wood structures were replaced with steel and composite rails and ramps in Nov. 2021. Park operations were resumed this spring.

Devine visited the recently renovated park with Cam Vadeboncoeur, a Danville N.H. resident who noted that Westford’s skate park is the closest he can visit.

“It’s nice to come somewhere brand new,” Vadeboncoeur told WestfordCAT. “The closest we have is Salem and Exeter.”

Vadeboncoeur, a skateboarder for 13 years, said that though it’s easy to skateboard anywhere, he does wish equipment like the Forge Village Skate Park was more common.

“It’s a great way to stay active and gives you something to enjoy,” he said. “There’s always something else to do and always somewhere to do it.”

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