Designated skate parks have been popping up all over the United States for decades. They first started being built for skateboarders to have a place to skate where they would be both safer and out of the way of the police who always tried to shut them down. A lot of these skate parks were inevitably named “freedom” park, and the Freedom Park in Las Vegas is one of the most popular.

Before the recent renovations last January, Vegas’ Freedom Park didn’t place much emphasis on skating, however. In fact, with the lackluster sporting environment, it didn’t place much emphasis on any sport. It was basically a designated area for kids to stay out of traffic. Now it has finally become a respectable and popular landmark of the community.

Anyone driving around Vegas would have to be blind to miss this massive park. It’s located right on Washington Avenue, across from the swank Desert Pines Golf Club, and covers an impressive 68-acre plot of land. This multi-use park is really attracting the sporting types and tourists now that the $17.5 million makeover is completed.

Not that the park was in total shambles. It had its strong points. But it did need to be expanded to better serve the community. Although there is now a huge skate park in Freedom Park, it’s also a location for many other sports and it houses soccer fields, baseball fields, basketball courts, and much more. These add-ons have really boosted the park’s profile.

The two baseball fields and soccer fields are lighted and feature some great turf. There’s also a new large concession building added for food and drink while people enjoy the park, and also a new series of restrooms.

Freedom Park has been utterly transformed from a mediocre ground for slightly involved kids and adults to now a premier piece of property fit for anyone of any age and with love for any sport or activity.

The exercise area and jogging path suits the adults well. There has also been a large events platform added. This will eventually make a good location for local concerts, speaking engagements and other events that take place in the park. Picnic and shaded areas have also been upgraded.

The new skate park is probably the park’s most popular feature, as it now blends in with other “freedom” parks around the United States that focus on skating and provide a good street set up for skaters. Among the new skating features are a large concrete bowl, above ground ramps, rails and steps, and other street features blended in.

Freedom Park was originally built back in 1972 and really hadn’t changed much since then. The recent upgrades have now succeeded in trafficking in a lot of tourism and a lot of kids who would otherwise spend their days playing in the streets or out in the dry desert.