American Ramp Company Skatepark is Falling Apart

Only a few weeks after the park opened, American Ramp Company's SOLO skatepark in Warren, Pennsylvania is having issues. If an experienced concrete company built this skatepark, would we be seeing these same problems?

“I wish City Council would come down here and see what they voted for,” said Kathy Johnson, a former member of the Parks and Rec Committee and an advocate for building a skate park in the city. “When I came down here and saw this, I had to pick my teeth off he floor.” Johnson was referring to various sections of the park’s ramps where concrete is already crumbling, including a large area connecting one ramp with its metal plate, along with joints missing large chunks of grout and metal plates lifting from the concrete pad beneath it. “Can you imagine what one winter will do to this?” Johnson said. “It’s already falling apart in the sunshine.” Johnson pointed to the various ramps on the park and added, “That should all come off of there and be redone. (The City) should sue (American Ramp Company) for misrepresentation of their product.” “I got an email on the third day that the park was open that it was falling apart,” said Missy Scordo, president of the Warren Area Skate Park Boosters.

According to Johnson, the Parks and Rec Commission recommended using a different skate park builder twice to council, which then chose to go with American Ramp Company, instead. “Why didn’t they use them?” Johnson asked retorically. “They were told. They had the pictures. They had the information. They chose to ignore it."

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