Jeff Barkley

ZELIENOPLE — Borough council and community park officials are looking toward financial success for the planned memorial skate park.

Council Monday evening approved applying for a $200,000 state grant to go to the skate park’s construction.

Jeff Barkley, parks board president and skate park committee treasurer, said the community park would match the grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources dollar for dollar.

“It’s been a lot of work, but we’re proud to be able to inform borough council that the skate park committee will be entirely responsible for the funds required to match the grant,” Barkley said.

Barkley’s announcement drew applause from council members and others in attendance.

“A job well done,” council President Allen Bayer said. “You guys should be proud.”

“This is a real step forward in this particular project, which has been a few years in the making,” borough manager Don Pepe said.

Plans for a skate park have been talked about for at least three decades.

The latest initiative to build the park stems from a tragedy that occurred in January 2010 when three Seneca Valley High School students, Trevor Barkley, Elijah Lunsford and Samuel Bucci, died after their vehicle slid off an icy road and into a lake outside of Zelienople.

The students were also volunteer firefighters.

Linda Gass, mother of the late Trevor Barkley and a skate park committee member, said the idea for the skate park came through “a vision from God.”

“God gave the passion to Trevor, and he did a senior project on this (park),” Gass said. “After I saw his poster, God gave me the vision to see his dream come true.”

The goal is to have $500,000 to $600,000 for the skate park.

To help raise money, the park has held fish fries for five years.

Skate park committee members said the fish fries have been successful and this year had the best turnouts with about 4,300 meals served.

Committee member Terry Gass said this year’s fish fries raised more than $50,000. How much of that will go to the park after expenses has not been determined.

“It’s our No. 1 fundraiser,” Gass said.

Skate park committee members said they are “very confident” about raising the money for the park, which is being designed by Seattle, Wash.-based skating company Grindline.

Other grants the park hopes to apply for come from the Tony Hawk Foundation and the Street League Skateboarding Foundation.