By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – One of the most-used attractions at Alabaster’s Veterans Park off Alabama 119 will be closed over the next few weeks as city crews perform maintenance on the structure.

The Alabaster Parks and Recreation Department will close the Veterans Park skate park from Nov. 11 until Dec. 1 as crews perform maintenance.

“It will mainly be on the bowl,” Parks and Recreation Director Tim Hamm said of the swimming pool-like bowl skaters use to perfect their skills. “It’s more just repairing it from everyday wear and tear.”

Since the skate park opened in 2006, it has drawn skateboard enthusiasts from across the state, and has hosted yearly skating competitions. Hamm said the heavy use the facility has seen has caused the concrete seal coat to wear down in certain parts of the park.

While the city performs regular maintenance around the edges of the bowl without having to close the park, the repairs the crews will perform over the next few weeks are extensive enough to warrant closing the park, Hamm said.

“We just won’t be able to work around the skaters if we keep the park open,” Hamm said.