PRESTONSBURG — An anonymous donor is offering the city of Prestonsburg $10,000 to build a concrete skateboard and BMX park downtown.

The offer was made to Mayor Jerry Fannin last weekend, when the man approached him during the Hillbilly Arm-Drop Drags.

Fannin said he is interested in exploring the idea and asked the man to provide him with contacts to contractors who build such parks. The mayor said he believes such a park would be a good addition to the community.

“You have a lot of kids who are into skateboarding,” Fannin said. “We did have a wooden one at Archer Park, but the weather ultimately took its toll on it.”

The Floyd County Times was able to contact the donor, who said his primary interest is in giving area youth something to do, in an attempt to keep them away from drugs and alcohol.

“I just want to do something positive for the community,” the donor said. “It’s depressing sitting there with nothing to do.”

The donor, a former native who moved away from the area and spends a lot of time traveling around the country, said he thinks a skatepark would be a good addition to the community.

“From what I’ve seen at skate parks around the country, it’s a net positive,” the donor said. “It gives the kids some exercise and something to do.”

The donor asked Fannin to consider building the park somewhere downtown, so it would be within walking distance for many kids. He said he believes the Trimble Branch park would be an ideal location.

Fannin said Wednesday he is open to that location, but the final decision would have to come from the city council. However, he also suggested that the park could become an addition to a community wellness center the city has plans to build.

The donor estimated a good-sized skatepark could be built for less than $100,000. Fannin said the city would look into finding grant money to pay for the remainder.