IBERIA PARISH, La. (KLFY) — Construction is finally underway here at New Iberia City Park to turn its old pool into a new skatepark for the community.

Architect David Allain was tasked to take on a project to upgrade the original Bayou Wheels Skatepark located near the Sugarcane Festival Building since he and his father played a vital role in bringing it to the park in the early 2000’s. Instead of adding to that, Allain noticed the old pool was not being used. He came up with the idea to use that area as the base of the new skatepark.

Allain said he reached out to different people in the profession. “I have a lot of knowledge (about skateboarding) and kind of picked their brain to see the feasibility and things like that,” he said. “We decided to proceed with that moving forward with the design concept.”

As a former skater, Allain sees the benefit in having this new addition for the park. He said it can encourage a new community of people to get outside and have fun like before.

“It’s definitely a positive impact,” Allain said. “It’s taken kids off the streets. It’s given them something to do. It’s outside and around other kids around their own age and their own interest.”

Allain said this project hits at home for him and is happy to be a part of bringing this too New Iberia.

“You know, they got the right person involved,” he said.

Allain says they anticipate the park to be up and running by mid to late summer.

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