ROME, N.Y. — Oneida County has awarded $250,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to assist in the construction of a skatepark in Rome dedicated to the memory of a Rome man who was enthusiastic about the sport.
“The passing of Stone Mercurio was a tragedy felt not just in the city of Rome, but all throughout Oneida County,” Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente, Jr. said in a news release. “Together with the board of legislators, we are proud to provide this funding to help keep his memory alive and greatly enhance the lives of those who share his passion for skateboarding. This skatepark will be a tremendous asset to community youth, giving them a productive place to spend their time and a safe environment to raise awareness of mental health.”
The SFM Skatepark Project plans to build a 30,000-square-foot concrete skatepark and civic plaza located on the waterfront at Bellamy Harbor Park. The fully designed project is broken into two phases.
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The funding from Oneida County will go to first phase, known as the “street phase,” with an estimated $1.5 million budget. Work on this phase is planned for the spring and summer of 2024. Phase two, the “flow phase,” construction will commence in 2025.
The main skate area, which will also support bikes, scooters, rollerblades, and wheelchairs, will feature a more than 450-foot paved pump track. The civic plaza component will include space for youth programming, live music, and food trucks.
The SFM Skatepark Project is an all-volunteer, youth-driven organization formed following the death of Mercurio, a Rome native and avid skateboarder, snowboarder, soccer player, diver, and outdoors enthusiast. The goal is to build a free, safe, accessible, and dynamic modern skatepark to serve all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.
“We aren’t here just to build a skatepark, we are here to transform lives,” his father, Christian Mercurio, said. “We are here because of the hard work and dedication of Stone’s friends and young people in our community who want to make a difference. Stone was such a positive force in so many lives, and his spirit will live on through this project and the generations of kids to come. I can’t begin to describe the depth of our gratitude to County Executive Picente and the board of legislators helping us break the stigma of mental illness and raise awareness for suicide prevention by providing a safe, welcoming, accessible place for teenagers at such a tender, critical age.”
The Rome Community Foundation is the nonprofit partner of the SFM Skatepark Project, responsible for the stewardship of all proceeds from fundraisers, donations, and sponsorships. The city is also a project partner and will own and operate the skatepark plaza.
More information about the project is available at https://sfmskateparkproject.com.
