Nearly 100 skaters, scooters, and bikers rolled down Carpinteria Avenue on Monday afternoon for a kick-off celebration to help raise the last chunk of money needed to start construction on a world-class skatepark in Carpinteria.
“The kids are so excited, this is the first time we’re going to be celebrating what they love to do,” Julia Mayer, Carpinteria Skate Foundation board member, told Noozhawk.
The Carpinteria Skate Foundation was launched in 2009, and has since worked to perfect plans and a partnership with the city of Carpinteria to build a state-of-the-art skate park on public land.
The group has raised $720,000 of grassroots donations so far, and needs $450,000 more to begin the construction of the park.
Monday’s kick-off event marked the beginning of an ambitious fundraising plan aimed at the entire community.
Large donors will now have the opportunity to purchase elements of the park such as the stage and ramps, Mayer said, and smaller donors can purchase bricks with their names on them that will go into the park.
There is also a GoFundMe campaign to which community members can donate.
While the fundraising so far has all been through grassroots efforts, the city of Carpinteria recently agreed to chip in for the construction of the park, Mayer said.
The Carpinteria Skate Foundation already has the permits for the facility, and is ready to hit the ground running once all the money is raised, Mayer said, adding that she hopes to raise the final chunk of money by October.
The park will be adjacent to Carpinteria City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave., and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office substation.
The Carpinteria Skate Foundation secured the funding to have the site cleared and prepped for the arrival of Monday’s skaters.
The park, designed by Dreamland Skateparks, will include elements for all ages and abilities, and will be built to inspire creativity and provide a healthy outlet for all ages in an inclusive sport, according to the foundation.
The park will include a skateable stage, picnic tables, and public amenities.
“More than just a fun place to skate and a perfect outlet for energetic people, this park will be a destination for skaters from all over the West Coast,” Mayer said. “We envision the park as this killer skating venue a few miles from world-renowned Rincon Point, which has been an incubator for pro surfers for generations. There’s this crossover between the two sports that’s so perfect.”
First District Supervisor Das Williams, sheriff’s deputies, and Carpinteria City Councilman Roy Lee were among those who came out to show support at Monday’s event, which fell on National Skate Day.
“It’s going to be amazing to give the kids a place for themselves, a place where they can do what they love to do,” Lee told Noozhawk. “I think it’s long overdue, and the city is in full support.”
The groundbreaking event included the skate parade from The Good Plow Restaurant on Carpinteria Avenue to City Hall, where skaters skated around the newly prepped and cleared site.
“We are so close to having our skatepark so you can do this legally!” Mayer said as she rallied the skaters. “Let’s show Carpinteria how awesome you are, and that you deserve this.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Jade Martinez-Pogue can be reached at jmartinez-pogue@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
