ZELIENOPLE — After years of planning and preparation, the Zelienople Memorial Skatepark may be in the final stretch of fundraising.

The skatepark is in the middle of its seventh annual fish fry fundraisers, and skatepark committee member Jeff Barkley said this year's attendance has been better than ever.

Barkley's son, Trevor, is one of the three students — along with Sam Bucci and Elijah Lunsford — who died in January 2010 when the vehicle they were in slid off an icy road and into a lake. The students were avid skateboarders and BMX riders, and the park will be built in their memory.

After years of grant applications, fundraising and planning, Barkley said this year the group may reach its goal.

“It's been going great. We've been averaging well over 600 people a night,” Barkley said. “It's probably running around 100 people above last year's numbers across the board.”

The fundraiser is held every Friday from 4 to 9 p.m. through March 30 at the Zelienople American Legion Hall. Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for children younger than 10. Takeout orders are available from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. and can be made by calling 724-824-3210.

“At the end of the day we need to raise just around $100,000/$125,000 to reach our goal of $625,000,” Barkley said. “We are getting close. (With) the added awareness we're getting now, I think 2019 is our year for getting the ground broke.”

The Zelienople Memorial Skatepark committee has raised $445,000 toward the $625,000 goal. Here is how the funding breaks down:$235,000 in fundraisers, with around $130,000 from fish fries$200,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources$10,000 grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation.