By Mollie Landers ~ news@standard-democrat.com

SIKESTON - After almost exactly one year of planning and fundraising, those involved with the future Sikeston Skatepark are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

The Sikeston City Council's final budget for the 2009 fiscal year, which begins July 1, includes $15,000 for the Sikeston Skatepark. Jiggs Moore, Sikeston Parks and Recreation director, said he wants to move on it as soon as possible.

Skatepark equipment vendors will soon be contacted and bid specifics put out. He said he hopes to get bid specifics out this summer and be able to start piecing together the park equipment by the fall.

"Hopefully, we'll get something going on it and have something in place for the kids in the not distant future," Moore said.

The concrete pad, located in the Sikeston Sports Complex on the corner of Stephenson and Campanella, for the skate park was laid in November. Now, plans are under way for the equipment to go on the pad.

Cindy Taylor, who leads the Sikeston Skatepark Committee, said there are some designs picked out, but it ultimately will depend on who receives the contract to build the equipment.

Taylor is thrilled that the skatepark is finally becoming tangible.

"I think it's wonderful. We definitely need it in order for us to go forward," she said. "We accomplished something that everyone said would not get done."

Taylor described receiving money for the skatepark as overwhelming excitement.

"You don't understand the kind of stress we've been through," she said. "It has been very hard to get fundraising."

Taylor said although the park has received the money, they will continue raising money.

The next fundraiser will be a car wash sometime in July. She said every little bit goes toward the park equipment and making the skatepark better. Almost $16,000 has been raised through donations and fundraisers so far, a portion of which went toward the building of the concrete pad.