No Longer Called A Vandal, Evanston Artist Gives Skate Park A Funky

EVANSTON — When local artist Michelle “Chely” Gomez agreed to give the skate park a facelift, she hoped to create something that could be cool, hip and a colorful talking point for the town.

What she got instead — at least initially — were multiple visits from the police, called out to deal with an alleged vandal desecrating city property in broad daylight.

“Oh my gosh,” Gomez told Cowboy State Daily. “That was crazy. Working on the skate park sparked some interest, but it was when I went to paint the retaining wall at the pickleball courts that it got a little nuts.”

Commissioned by Evanston Parks and Recreation as a way to add a little color to the popular skate park, Gomez also offered to paint the concrete borders around the new pickleball courts on 6th Avenue.

The rec center loved